The NHL season is barely underway, but the league already has one of the highlights of the season courtesy of New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin.
In the Rangers 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, Shesterkin joined elite company as he became the latest goalie to score a goal in an NHL game. The veteran goalie has been trying to score for most of his career, and he finally secured the score this year.
Pretty much the only way a goalie can score is in a situation where the opposition has pulled its goalie, making it so goalies don't have many chances to shoot down the ice. Shesterkin saw his opportunity in this game and he did not miss.
Here's a look at the company Shesterkin joined.
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NHL goals by goalies
There have no been 21 instances when a goalie has scored a goal in an NHL game, but not all of them are the same. Eight of those goals were technically own goals, with the goalies being credited with the goal off of an opponent's deflection.
Otherwise, 12 goalies have combined to score 13 goals on a direct shot-on-goal, with Ron Hextall being the lone goalie to score two of those. Here's the full list of goalies to score a goal in the NHL.
| Goalie | Team | Opponent | Date | Method |
| Igor Shesterkin | New York Rangers | Tampa Bay Lightning | Oct. 1, 2026 | SOG |
| Ilya Sorokin | New York Islanders | Nashville Predators | March 1, 2025 | Own Goal |
| Alex Nedelijkovic | Pittsburgh Penguins | Buffalo Sabres | January 17, 2025 | SOG |
| Filip Gustavsson | Minnesota Wild | St. Louis Blues | October 15, 2024 | SOG |
| Tristan Jarry | Pittsburgh Penguins | Tampa Bay Lightning | November 30, 2023 | SOG |
| Linus Ullmark | Boston Bruins | Vancouver Canucks | February 25, 2023 | SOG |
| Pekka Rinne | Nashville Predators | Chicago Blackhawks | January 9, 2020 | SOG |
| Mike Smith | Phoenix Coyotes | Detroit Red Wings | October 19, 2013 | SOG |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | Carolina Hurricanes | March 21, 2013 | Own Goal |
| Cam Ward | Carolina Hurricanes | New Jersey Devils | December 26, 2011 | Own Goal |
| Chris Mason | Nashville Predators | Phoenix Coyotes | April 15, 2026 | Own Goal |
| Mika Noronen | Buffalo Sabres | Toronto Maple Leafs | February 14, 2004 | Own Goal |
| Evgeni Nabokov | San Jose Sharks | Vancouver Canucks | March 10, 2002 | SOG |
| Jose Theodore | Montreal Canadiens | New York Islanders | January 2, 2001 | SOG |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | Philadelphia Flyers | February 15, 2000 | Own Goal |
| Damian Rhodes | Ottawa Senators | New Jersey Devils | January 2, 1999 | Own Goal |
| Martin Brodeur | New Jersey Devils | Montreal Canadiens | April 17, 1997 | SOG |
| Chris Osgood | Detroit Red Wings | Hartford Whalers | March 6, 1996 | SOG |
| Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers | Washington Capitals | April 11, 1989 | SOG |
| Ron Hextall | Philadelphia Flyers | Boston Bruins | December 8, 1987 | SOG |
| Billy Smith | New York Islanders | Colorado Rockies | November 28, 1979 | Own Goal |
Igor Shesterkin goal vs. Lightning
Igor Shesterkin has been trying to score a goal for his entire career, and he finally did it on Thursday night. Shesterkin finally lit the lamp with the Rangers up 4-1 vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning and after the Lightning pulled their goalie with almost 2.5 minutes left in the game.
When Shesterkin scored, the whole Rangers team celebrated like the team won something more than just a regular season game.
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 2, 2026Shesterkin's goal capped off a Rangers 5-1 win in their home opener, but the goal gave everyone in attendance a memory they will never forget.
