New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin has long playfully boasted about his shooting skills over longtime friend and rival Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders.
Ahead of the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, Shesterkin even quipped to NHL.com that Sorokin’s self-proclaimed prowess was laughable, joking,
“If we got a soccer net, maybe he could score.”
But Sorokin now holds a unique bragging right: On Saturday, he became the 17th goaltender in NHL history—and the third this season—to be credited with a goal, seizing the moment to tease Shesterkin.
During the Islanders’ 7-4 victory over the Nashville Predators, Sorokin secured his place in the record books under unconventional circumstances.
With 12 seconds left and Predators goalie Juuse Saros pulled for an extra attacker, Sorokin made a critical blocker save on Steven Stamkos, then denied Jonathan Marchessault on the rebound. Stamkos later mishandled a pass along the boards, accidentally sending the puck into Nashville’s empty net. As the last Islander to touch the puck, Sorokin was credited with the rare goal.
“I knew I’d beat him to it,” Sorokin joked post game, referencing his friendly rivalry with Shesterkin.
While no Rangers netminder has ever scored an NHL goal, Hall of Famer Ed Giacomin set a milestone in 1972 as the first goalie with two assists in a game. The Islanders’ Billy Smith made history in 1979 as the first NHL goalie credited with a goal under similar circumstances. Rangers’ Bob Froese nearly joined the list in 1987, but officials later awarded the goal to teammate David Shaw after reviewing footage.
Sorokin’s goal marks the 20th such instance in NHL history (18 regular season, two playoffs), with only 11 goalies physically shooting the puck into the net. Ron Hextall achieved this twice, while others, like Sorokin and Smith, earned theirs via opponent errors.
Shesterkin, who scored in Russian junior hockey in 2013, has narrowly missed NHL glory multiple times. In 2022, a 190-foot attempt against Ottawa sailed wide, and a 2023 shot at Madison Square Garden against Florida barely missed the net. “I was mad at myself,” Shesterkin admitted after the latter. “Scoring at MSG is a dream—not just for goalies, but everyone.”
As Sorokin revels in his milestone, the playful duel between the two Russian netminders adds another chapter to their storied camaraderie and competition.
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