Igor Shesterkin scores to become 18th NHL goalie with goal

Dustin Judge
Rangers beat Lightning 5-1 behind goalie Igor Shesterkin, shown in a Rangers game

Igor Shesterkin fired the puck into an empty net to become the 18th goaltender in NHL history to score. It was also the 21st goalie goal in league history, counting the playoffs.

Shesterkin fired the puck the length of the ice from his own end at 17:26 of the third period to cap the scoring. The Vezina Trophy winner, captured in 2022, stopped 24 of 25 shots in the victory.

A historic night for the Rangers and Shesterkin’s goalie goal

Shesterkin’s goal capped a dominant home opener at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers had been shut out 3-0 at Boston on Tuesday before bouncing back with the victory. The offensive outburst starkly contrasted with their nightmare 2025-26 season, when they became the first team in league history to be shut out in their first three home games.

“It was a long time in my head,” Shesterkin said after the game. “I thought that I’d go celebrate in a different way. But like I said, I didn’t see the puck go across the line, and I just was a little bit shy, and I didn’t know what I could do.

So maybe next time. I will keep trying to score one more time.”

Coach Mike Sullivan praised the moment’s impact on the team. “When those moments occur for a team, they’re great moments,” he said. “You can see the raw emotion on the players on the bench. When he has a moment like that, the guys get pretty fired up about it.”

Rarity among the rare

Goalie goals remain one of hockey’s rarest occurrences. No goalie scored during the entire 2025-26 season. The last goalie credited with a goal was Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin on March 1, 2025, when Nashville put the puck into its own net.

Before that, Pittsburgh’s Alex Nedeljkovic scored on Jan. 17, 2025.s strangest occurrences. No goalie scored during the entire 2025-26 season, making the feat even more unusual in the modern era.

The last goalie to be credited with a goal was New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin on March 1, 2025, when Nashville accidentally put the puck into its own net. Before that, Alex Nedeljkovic of the Pittsburgh Penguins shot a goal on Jan. 17, 2025.

Despite the recent uptick in goalie goals, they remain exceedingly rare in the modern era.

Rangers avoid slow start repeat

s nightmare start to last season. In October 2025, the Rangers became the first team in league history to be shut out in their first three home games, not scoring at Madison Square Garden until 57 seconds into their fourth game there.

This year, Mika Zibanejad scored on the power play just 5:34 into the first period. Pavel Dorofeyev, acquired from Vegas in the offseason, added his first goal with the Rangers, while Eeli Tolvanen scored his first with the team and Gabe Perreault deflected in a goal.

The Rangers improved to 1-1 after dropping their season opener. Mika Zibanejad scored on the power play 5:34 into the first period, Pavel Dorofeyev added his first goal with New York, and Eeli Tolvanen scored his first with the team.

What’s next

The Rangers face the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at Madison Square Garden in Detroit’s season opener.

Reporting from CBS Sports, NHL.com, USA Today and Houstonchronicle contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.