Igor Shesterkin just became the latest NHL goaltender to score a goalie goal.
Shesterkin hit the back of the net in the New York Rangers’ 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“I told everyone I would keep trying to score and I did,” Shesterkin, who made 24 saves in the victory, said.
Shesterkin’s opportunity came after former Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson sent a long stretch pass up the ice that badly missed its target. The puck then bounced off the end boards, where Shesterkin quickly gathered it and fired it into Tampa Bay’s open net.
The tally was unassisted and came with 2:34 remaining in regulation.
Rangers players, some jumping up and down, mobbed Shesterkin in the defensive zone before the entire New York bench emptied. The goalie goal was the first in Rangers’ history. Shesterkin also became just the second Russian-born goaltender to score, joining the Sharks’ Evgeni Nabokov, who hit the back of the net 24 years ago.
“That was a lot of fun, but to be honest, someone on the blue line, he screened me a little bit when I make the shot and I didn’t see the puck land, so I didn’t know can I celebrate or not,” Shesterkin said. “I just started doing that when everyone was like fired up.
“It was a long time in my head,” he continued. “I thought I would celebrate in a different way, but, like I said, I didn’t see the puck go across the line. I was a little bit shy, and I didn’t know what I could do. But maybe next time. I will keep trying to score one more time.”
Eighteen goalies in NHL history have scored a goalie goal. Shesterkin’s tally was the NHL’s 21st goalie goal of all time.
NHL goaltenders who have scored a goal
| Goaltender | Team | Date | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Smith | New York Islanders | Nov. 28, 1979 | Colorado Rockies |
| Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers | Dec. 8, 1987 | Boston Bruins |
| Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers | April 11, 1989 | Washington Capitals |
| Chris Osgood | Detroit Red Wings | March 6, 1996 | Hartford Whalers |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | April 17, 1997 | Montreal Canadiens |
| Damian Rhodes | Ottawa Senators | Jan. 2, 1999 | New Jersey Devils |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | Feb. 15, 2000 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Jose Theodore | Montreal Canadiens | Jan. 2, 2001 | New York Islanders |
| Evgeni Nabokov | San Jose Sharks | March 10, 2002 | Vancouver Canucks |
| Mika Noronen | Buffalo Sabres | Feb. 14, 2004 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Chris Mason | Nashville Predators | April 15, 2006 | Phoenix Coyotes |
| Cam Ward | Carolina Hurricanes | Dec. 26, 2011 | New Jersey Devils |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | March 21, 2013 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| Mike Smith | Phoenix Coyotes | Oct. 19, 2013 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Pekka Rinne | Nashville Predators | Jan. 9, 2020 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| Linus Ullmark | Boston Bruins | Feb. 25, 2023 | Vancouver Canucks |
| Tristan Jarry | Pittsburgh Penguins | Nov. 30, 2023 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Filip Gustavsson | Minnesota Wild | Oct. 15, 2024 | St. Louis Blues |
| Alex Nedeljkovic | Pittsburgh Penguins | Jan. 18, 2025 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Ilya Sorokin | New York Islanders | March 1, 2025 | Nashville Predators |
| Igor Shesterkin | New York Rangers | Oct. 1, 2026 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
Perhaps even more impressive, Shesterkin has now completed a career Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
Igor Shesterkin’s career Gordie Howe hat trick
| Achievement | Date | Opponent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assist | March 10, 2022 | St. Louis Blues | Assisted on Ryan Strome’s power-play goal |
| Assist | March 14, 2023 | Washington Capitals | Assisted on Mika Zibanejad’s goal |
| Assist | Feb. 22, 2024 | New Jersey Devils | Assisted on Chris Kreider’s goal |
| Fight | March 31, 2026 | New Jersey Devils | Fought goaltender Jacob Markstrom |
| Goal | Oct. 1, 2026 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Scored into an empty net |
Shesterkin has one goal, three assists, and a fight, when he dropped the gloves with Jacob Markstrom last March.
After winning the Vezina Trophy in 2022, Shesterkin is now just missing a Stanley Cup.
