Rangers' Igor Shesterkin becomes 18th NHL goalie to score a goal

Igor Shesterkin etched his name into NHL history Thursday night by becoming the 18th goaltender ever to score a goal. It caromed off the boards toward Shesterkin’s crease.

Long wait ends for franchise and player

The Rangers have used 93 different goaltenders since joining the NHL in the 1926-27 season, yet none had scored until Shesterkin. The milestone fulfilled a personal aim the Russian had carried through his nine-year NHL career. He previously found the net as a 19-year-old in the Russian junior MHL while with Spartak Moscow in October 2013 and had come close several times in the NHL without success.

Teammates and coach savor the moment

Longtime teammate Mika Zibanejad noted how often Shesterkin had nearly scored from the bench view before finally connecting. Coach Mike Sullivan called it a historic night and pointed to the raw emotion that swept the bench after a player who routinely makes timely saves delivered a highlight of his own. Shesterkin was swarmed by teammates while fans chanted his name; he later admitted he never saw the puck cross the line but heard the roar and felt the celebration. He made clear one career goal will not be enough.