Igor Shesterkin vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy by the numbers: Who is the best goalie in the Eastern Conference Final?

We have ourselves a good, old-fashioned goalie showdown in the Eastern Conference finals. 

Two of the best goaltenders in the game --- Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning --- will square off beginning Wednesday in Game 1. 

On one side, there is the 26-year-old Shesterkin, who in a few weeks will very likely be handed the Vezina Trophy. He was sensational this season as the backbone for a New York team that relied heavily on him to win games. In just his second full season as the Rangers' starter, Shesterkin has proved he is the goalie of the future for New York. 

In the opposite crease will be a man with nothing else to prove. Vasilevskiy has two Stanley Cups already and a Conn Smythe Trophy to his name. While he had a down year in the regular season, his play in these playoffs has completely erased that. He looks like his typical dominant self in the blue paint as he and the Lightning eye a third consecutive Stanley Cup title. 

This is the biggest storyline heading into the East finals, and rightfully so. Teams need a hot goaltender to have a chance at playing for the Cup.

Here's how the two stellar goaltenders stack up statistically heading into the series: 

ECF PREVIEW: Lightning vs. Rangers

Igor Shesterkin vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy 2022 playoff stats

Both Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy got off to rocky starts in the postseason. Shesterkin was immediately tested by the Penguins; he made the second-most saves in NHL playoff history in a Game 1 triple-overtime loss before grabbing a win in Game 2. He was yanked in Games 3 and 4 as the Rangers fell behind 3-1 in the series. 

Since Game 5 of the first round, Shesterkin has yet to give up more than three goals in a game and has looked more like his regular-season self. His playoff GAA is down to 2.68 heading into the conference finals and he owns a .928 save percentage. 

Vasilevskiy's 2022 playoffs got off on the wrong foot right away. He was tagged for five goals in Game 1 against the Maple Leafs. He allowed at least three goals in each of the first six games of the series. 

But he showed up when it mattered most. He made 30 saves in Game 7 against to secure the win. He followed that up by limiting the top offense in the league to just three goals over four games in the Lightning's sweep of the Panthers. 

With his shutout of Florida in Game 4, Vasilevskiy now has a shutout in six of his last seven series-clinching games, dating to 2020. 

Stats as of June 1

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Igor Shesterkin vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy head-to-head in 2022

Given Shesterkin's relatively short time in the NHL, the two Russians have only gone head-to-head twice. 

Shesterkin faced the Lightning for the first time this season. The teams were not in the same division last season when the NHL realigned divisions and limited the schedule to divisional play. He could not have gotten off to a better start. 

Shesterkin went a perfect 3-0-0 against Tampa Bay. In the first meeting on Dec. 31, Vasilevskiy had the night off as the Rangers won 4-3 in a shootout.

Shesterkin stole the show after that. He had a 38-save shutout two days later in a 4-0 win, and then he stopped 28 of 29 shots in a 2-1 win in March. Vasilevskiy rarely gets outdueled by anyone, but he sure was this season by Shesterkin. 

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Igor Shesterkin vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy 2022 stats

No one was as good as Shesterkin during the regular season. He was dominant throughout and is the likely Vezina winner. 

He was calm, cool, collected and, most importantly, consistent in net. In four of the seven months of the season, he had a GAA below 2.00. His highest GAA in a single month was 2.67. Shesterkin led the league in save percentage and goals-against average. 

Vasilevskiy had a down year by his standards. His .916 save percentage was his lowest since 2015-16 and his 18 regulation losses were the most in his career for a season. His two shutouts were his fewest since 2016-17. 

A statistical breakdown of the goalies in the 2021-22 season: