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Igor Shesterkin scored the first goal by a New York Rangers goaltender on October 1, 2026, sending an unassisted shot into Tampa Bay’s empty net during a 5-1 win. NHL.com reported that he became the 18th different NHL goalie credited with a goal; the league’s total is 21 goalie goals because some goaltenders scored more than once.

How Shesterkin scored

With Tampa Bay’s net empty, a Lightning stretch pass deflected into the corner and caromed back toward the crease. Shesterkin skated to the puck, dropped to a knee and shot it down the ice. It landed near the high slot and slid inside the left post for an unassisted goal at 17:26 of the third period. He made 24 saves in the game, according to the NHL game recap.

Shesterkin lost sight of the puck as it traveled down the rink, so he waited for the crowd and his teammates to react before celebrating. “I didn’t see the puck land so I didn’t know can I celebrate or not,” he said. “Unbelievable feelings.” NHL.com’s feature reported his comments the next day.

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How many NHL goalies have scored?

In its October 2026 historical roundup, NHL.com counted 18 different goaltenders credited with 21 goals: 19 in the regular season and two in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The figures count different things: 18 is the number of goalies, while 21 is the number of scoring events. Some goalies scored more than once.

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There are two ways a goalie can receive credit for a goal:

  • Direct shot: The goalie shoots the puck into the opponent’s empty net. Shesterkin did this, becoming the 12th goalie to score this way.
  • Opponent’s own goal: A goalie is credited after being the last teammate to touch the puck before an opponent accidentally puts it into their own net. In this case, the goalie did not shoot the puck into the net.

Shesterkin contrasted his direct shot with Ilya Sorokin’s goal, which came by the own-goal route: “This one counts.”

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How Shesterkin’s goal fits NHL history

Ron Hextall was the first goalie to shoot the puck into the net for a goal, scoring an empty-netter against Boston on December 8, 1987. He later scored in the playoffs; NHL.com identifies Hextall as the only goalie to have scored by shooting the puck in both the regular season and the playoffs. Reflecting on Shesterkin’s moment, Hextall said, “I’m happy for guys when they do it,” and, “The Rangers’ reaction last night was pretty cool for Shesterkin, so it’s a neat thing.” NHL.com published the interview on October 2, 2026.

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