Joonas Korpisalo return to Rangers begins with 34-save outing for AHL Hartford

November 5, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Joonas Korpisalo was back between the pipes for the first time in more than month Wednesday night, and his return to the New York Rangers is now on the near horizon.

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The 32-year-old goalie suited up for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League after the Rangers loaned him to their minor league affiliate for a conditioning stint. He started against the Hershey Bears in a 4-1 loss, his first game action since a foot infection sidelined him the first week of the NHL season back in late September.

UPDATE: #NYR has loaned goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to the Hartford Wolf Pack on a conditioning assignment. pic.twitter.com/TsGPzeOduy
— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) November 4, 2026

The game result mattered less than the fact that Korpisalo looked pretty sharp, stopping 34 of 37 shots, with Hershey’s fourth goal scored into an empty net after Hartford pulled him for an extra attacker late in the third period. That Korpisalo emerged unscathed and continued his ramp-up for a Broadway return sooner rather than later was also good news for the Rangers.

Korpisalo, acquired from the Boston Bruins in a July 1 trade to be New York’s No. 2 netminder, backed up Igor Shesterkin on opening night against his former team. But right before the home opener Oct. 1, the Rangers announced that Korpisalo had a lower-body injury, and recalled Dylan Garand from Hartford, mere days after clearing waivers.

Coach Mike Sullivan refused to provide details as to what the mysterious injury was or how and when it occurred. Before long, Korpisalo was on injured reserve, and eventually word leaked about the foot infection.

In the meantime, Shesterkin sustained a season-ending knee injury Oct. 9, and Garand’s played 11 consecutive games since (nine starts, two in relief). With 38-year-old James Reimer signed as an emergency stop-gap veteran to back up the 24-year-old rookie, the Rangers are eager for Korpisalo to return.

The Rangers have the ninth-best team goals-against average in the NHL this season through 16 games (2.94), despite surrendering 22 goals in a recent four-game losing streak. Garand is 5-6-1 with a 2.57 GAA, .905 save percentage and one shutout.

In 334 NHL games (302 starts) for four teams, Korpisalo has a 3.06 GAA and .900 save percentage. Last season with the Bruins, he was 14-9-6 in 31 games (28 starts), with a 3.15 GAA, and .894 save percentage.

Joonas Korpisalo closes in on return to Rangers after being sidelined past month

Once Korpisalo is back, the Rangers can split the goaltending duties between him and Garand in a 1a/1b fashion, or let one or the other run with the starting role knowing that there’s a viable back-up option.

That plan took a major step forward Wednesday. Though Korpisalo allowed a goal on the second shot he faced, the NHL veteran kept Hartford in the game by stopping 11 of 12 shots in the first period.

Go to the net, and good things tend to happen!

🍎Cristall
🍏Holl https://t.co/xOF4tPKqs3 pic.twitter.com/2vCJsS7c79

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) November 5, 2026

Korpisalo faced 16 shots in the second period and surrendered a pair of power-play goals. The first was a long shot through a screen, and the second followed a favorable bounce out of the corner for Hershey leading to a quick strike from a few feet out.

Trailing 3-0, Korpisalo made nine saves in the third period, and Hartford got back within two, when Liam Greentree buried his team-leading sixth goal at 17:22. A bit more than two minutes later, Hershey finished this one off with a Petr Sikora empty-net goal.

Tree with his team leading 6th goal of the season ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/vUFrdfslVc
— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) November 5, 2026

Again, the result wasn’t as important as simply getting Korpisalo some work. And it was a bonus that he performed well, keeping the out-played Wolf Pack in the game.

There’s no word yet regarding next steps for Korpisalo. Hartford continues a road trip with games at Rochester, Syracuse, and Springfield from Friday through Tuesday, providing ample opportunity for Korpisalo to get more work in. Or he could return to New York.

The Rangers (8-7-1) host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, and then take off on a four-game road trip to the Northwest with stops in Seattle, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver. It’s possible, Korpisalo will be with the Rangers on that trip, and quite likely activated off IR sooner rather than later.

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