Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin didn’t provide many hints for recent strong play

PHILADELPHIA — At first, Igor Shesterkin had a joke.

He had just won his sixth consecutive start, a 2-1 win for the Rangers over the Flyers that required Shesterkin to make key saves during a late penalty kill and 39 total.

But when asked about what has clicked for the goaltender during his winning streak — which has coincided with the Rangers’ 10-game tear of their own since the All-Star break, tying a franchise record — that continued Saturday, Shesterkin didn’t provide many hints. “It’s a secret,” he said, before adding that nothing, in fact, had changed.

“Everything’s the same,” Shesterkin said. “Puck’s the same size. I see the puck same speed. Everything’s the same, but guys play awesome in front of me and I just start to touch the puck more.”

The results, though, have changed. Shesterkin has been at the crux of the Rangers’ winning streak after he entered the All-Star break with numbers teetering on the brink of being career-worst marks — even while earning a spot in the All-Star Game.

That prompted the Rangers to give him a reset after the break. Jonathan Quick, their best goaltender based purely on numbers and results, kept winning.

The Blueshirts’ support for Shesterkin never wavered, though, and his save percentage has crept back over .900 since they intentionally gave him extra time to work with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire. He won his first start back against the Blackhawks.

Then, at the Garden three days later, Shesterkin logged his first shutout of the season.

He sat last among 75 goalies in January with a minus-7.9 goals saved above expected, according to NHL Network. In February, he’s first with a plus-10.9.

During Saturday’s win, the Flyers strung together 10 high-danger scoring chances and had an expected goals for of 2.42, according to Natural Stat Trick, but Shesterkin only allowed Tyson Foerster’s tally in the second period to slip past him.

Early in the opening frame, when the Rangers were sloppy with the puck at times, Shesterkin ensured Philadelphia didn’t turn those miscues into an early lead.

And in the third period, after the Rangers had snagged a lead with Matt Rempe’s first NHL goal, Shesterkin hovered around the edge of the crease as Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim skated toward him.

The Rangers were on a power play, but, still, Philadelphia had a breakaway.

But Shesterkin used his pad to push the puck to the side when Sanheim made his move, and the Blueshirts’ lead remained intact.

“If we’re a little slow out of the gate and he’s not ready, then it can be a different story,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “He was on point tonight.”

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After his assist on Alexis Lafreniere’s second-period goal, Vincent Trocheck needs three more points to reach 500 for his career.

Lafreniere has compiled nine points — six goals and three assists — during the Rangers’ winning streak.