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Ivory CoastIgor Shesterkin Joins Elite Club of Goal Scoring NHL Netminders
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is the latest netminder to score an NHL goal. Here is a look at the history of goalie goals.
A Rare Achievement
Goalies are paid to stop pucks, but sometimes they find the back of the net themselves. New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin did exactly that on October 1, 2026. He scored against the Tampa Bay Lightning, putting his name in the NHL record books.
Shesterkin is the newest member of a highly exclusive group. While goalie goals used to be incredibly rare, they have become a more frequent sight in recent seasons.
A Recent Surge
Before Shesterkin made history, other goaltenders found the net in recent years. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders scored against the Nashville Predators on March 1, 2025. Just a couple of months earlier, Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Alex Nedeljkovic scored against the Buffalo Sabres on January 17, 2025.
In late 2024, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild scored during an away game against the St. Louis Blues on October 15. Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins also achieved the feat on November 30, 2023, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Linus Ullmark scored for the Boston Bruins on February 25, 2023, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Scoring in the 2000s and 2010s
The era between 2000 and 2020 saw several other goalies join the club. Pekka Rinne scored for the Nashville Predators against the Chicago Blackhawks on January 9, 2020. Mike Smith scored for the Phoenix Coyotes against the Detroit Red Wings on October 19, 2013. Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes scored against the New Jersey Devils on December 26, 2011.
Going back further, Chris Mason of the Nashville Predators scored against the Phoenix Coyotes on April 15, 2006. Mika Noronen of the Buffalo Sabres scored against the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 14, 2004. Evgeni Nabokov scored for the San Jose Sharks against the Vancouver Canucks on March 10, 2002. Jose Theodore scored for the Montreal Canadiens against the New York Islanders on January 2, 2001.
The Legends of Goalie Goals
Some of the greatest names in hockey history have also scored. Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils managed to score three times during his career. His goals came on April 17, 1997, against the Montreal Canadiens, on February 15, 2000, against the Philadelphia Flyers, and on March 21, 2013, against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers was another frequent scorer, hitting the net twice. He scored on December 8, 1987, against the Boston Bruins and again on April 11, 1989, against the Washington Capitals. Billy Smith of the New York Islanders was the very first goalie to score a goal, doing so against the Colorado Rockies on November 28, 1979.
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