New York Rangers’ Shesterkin Scores Historic Goalie Goal

The New York Rangers rebounded from a challenging 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in their season opener by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1. This victory on Thursday showcased a robust team effort.

Igor Shesterkin, the star goalie for the Rangers, delivered an impressive performance. He stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced. In addition, Shesterkin achieved a remarkable feat by scoring a goalie goal at the 17:26 mark of the third period. With the Lightning’s net left open, Shesterkin capitalized on a turnover and launched the puck from the Rangers’ end to score.

This marked Shesterkin’s first goalie goal in the NHL. He has now become the first goalie in the history of the Rangers to score a goal, a significant moment for the venerable franchise. Shesterkin joins a select group as the 18th goalie in NHL history to score. The previous goalie to score was Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders, who accomplished this on March 1, 2025, against the Nashville Predators.

Shesterkin’s performance has set high expectations for the season. He started with an impressive .935 save percentage and a 1.51 goals-against average over two games.