Igor Shesterkin makes history: first Rangers goalie ever to score in the NHL
On October 1, 2026, on opening night at Madison Square Garden, New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin wrote himself into the NHL record books: he became the first goaltender in the franchise’s nearly one-hundred-year history to score a goal. The Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1.
Shesterkin is also only the 18th goaltender to score in the entire history of the NHL — one of the rarest plays in ice hockey. The number puts the moment in perspective: thousands of games, goalies from all over the world, and barely eighteen names on the list.
The milestone was reported by NHL.com, ESPN and the Associated Press, which highlighted how unusual the feat is for one of the league’s oldest and most followed franchises.
Moments like this are pure fuel for the ice world: when a goalie scores, the video travels around the globe within hours, and many viewers who never followed the NHL discover the sport. That attention turns into bigger crowds at local rinks, skating schools and ice events in the weeks that follow.
At Napapiri, a real-ice rink manufacturer, we follow every season closely: moments like this boost interest in skating on real ice. If you are considering an ice rink of your own — rental, purchase or leasing — napapiri.com answers with a quotation within 24 hours.
Photo: Igor Shesterkin in New York Rangers gear. Photo by Jenn G (Jennthulhu Photography), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Archive photo (November 2022); it does not show the October 1, 2026 goal. News sources: NHL.com, ESPN and the Associated Press.
