The History of NHL Goalie Goals
After Filip Gustavsson scored for the Minnesota Wild to secure a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on October 15, 2024, he became the 15th goalie to score an NHL goal, and was the 18th instance of a goalie goal. Going back in time, each goalie goal has their own unique story, and so we can take a step back to analyze the uniqueness of every goalie goal in NHL history.
1 - Billy Smith - New York Islanders - November 28, 1979
Opponent: Colorado Rockies (New Jersey Devils)
Score after Smith scored: 4-4
Final score: 7-4 (Rockies)
Billy Smith scored the first ever goalie goal towards the end of the 1970s when the Colorado Rockies scored on themselves during a delayed penalty early in the third period. The goal was scored from a missed pass in the offensive zone that went all the way down into the Rockies’ net. The Rockies would score on the ensuing powerplay to make up for it, and would add two empty net goals late in the game. Ironically, the first goaltender to score is also the only goaltender to lose in that same game, as the remaining 17 instances all resulted in a win for the team that the scoring goalie played for.
2 - Ron Hextall - Philadelphia Flyers - December 8, 1987
Opponent: Boston Bruins
Score after Hextall scored: 5-2
Final score: 5-2
Ron Hextall joined Billy Smith in this elite club, however, Hextall went one step further by physically shooting the puck into the empty net. Funnily enough, Hextall had attempted a shot that went wide just seconds before his successful attempt.
3 - Ron Hextall (2) - Philadelphia Flyers - April 11, 1989 (Playoffs)
Opponent: Wahshington Capitals
Score after Hextall scored: 8-5
Final score: 8-5
Ron Hextall pioneered three new feats among goalie goals; the first playoff goal by a goaltender, the first and only shorthanded goal by a goaltender, and the first goaltender to score twice. To this day, Hextall is the only goaltender to score multiple times by physically shooting the puck.
Hextall scored in game five against the Washington Capitals in round one of the 1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs, putting them up 3-2 in a series that the Flyers ultimately won in six games. The Flyers would lose to the Canadiens in the third round.
4 - Chris Osgood - Detroit Red Wings - March 6, 1996
Opponent: Hartford Whalers (Carolina Hurricanes)
Score after Osgood scored: 4-2
Final score: 4-2
Chris Osgood joined Ron Hextall as the second goalie to physically shoot the puck and score. In the modern NHL, goaltenders rarely attempt goals if their team is only up by one goal, as the risk for a giveaway is high, and teams are better off leaving it for their five skaters to deal with clearing the puck. However, Osgood took the risk and was the first goalie to attempt a shot and successfully score on the empty net while only being up by one goal.
5 - Martin Brodeur - New Jersey Devils - April 17, 1997 (Playoffs)
Opponent: Montreal Canadiens
Score after Brodeur scored: 5-2
Final score: 5-2
In game one of the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the first playoff game for the Devils since their 1995 Stanley Cup win, Martin Brodeur joined Ron Hextall as the only goalies to score a goal in the playoffs, a club that to this day is still exclusive to these two goaltenders. Brodeur physically shot the puck to score, and the Devils would go on to beat the Canadiens in five games. The Devils would lose to the Rangers in the next round.
6 - Damian Rhodes - Ottawa Senators - January 2, 1999
Opponent: New Jersey Devils
Score after Rhodes scored: 2-0
Final score: 6-0
In 1999, Brodeur’s team was on the wrong end of a goalie goal this time, as Damian Rhodes of the Ottawa Senators was credited for a goal after the Devils scored on themselves during a delayed penalty in the first period, making Rhodes the first goalie to score in either the first or second period. Rhodes joined Billy Smith as the second goalie to score without physically shooting the puck, and became the first goalie to record a shutout in the same game that he scored.
7 - Martin Brodeur (2) - New Jersey Devils - February 15, 2000
Opponent: Philadelphia Flyers
Score after Brodeur scored: 3-1
Final score: 4-2
The Devils were back on the desired side of a goalie goal when Brodeur joined Hextall as the second goalie to have multiple goalie goals. This time, Brodeur was credited for an own goal on a delayed penalty after Daymond Langkow of the Flyers scored on himself. This own goal was a result of a miscommunication in the defensive zone, whereas all other own goals were from the offensive zone.
This is the only goalie goal in NHL history to be a game-winning goal, and Brodeur in 2000 would be the only goalie to win the Stanley Cup in the same season as scoring a goalie goal. The Devils would eliminate the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals in this same season.
8 - Jose Theodore - Montreal Canadiens - January 2, 2001
Opponent: New York Islanders
Score after Theodore scored: 3-0
Final score: 3-0
Exactly two years to the date after Rhodes scored, Theodore would once again score by the physically shooting variety. Theodore is the only goalie who catches right (holds stick in left hand) to score a goal. Additionally, Theodore is the second goalie to record a shutout in the same game as scoring a goal.
9 - Evgeni Nabokov - San Jose Sharks - March 10, 2002
Opponent: Vancouver Canucks
Score after Nabokov scored: 7-4
Final score: 7-4
Evgeni Nabokov scored in his rookie season against the Vancouver Canucks. Despite being on the penalty kill, the Canucks pulled their goalie in a final attempt to comeback, where Nabokov shot the puck and scored, making Nabokov the first goalie to score a powerplay goal. Nabokov would also win the 2002 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
10 - Mika Noronen - Buffalo Sabres - February 14, 2004
Opponent: Toronto Maple Leafs
Score after Noronen scored: 6-4
Final score: 7-4
Mika Noronen was credited with a goal in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after the Leafs pulled their goalie down 5-4 late in the game. Noronen became the first goalie credited with an own goal from a team intentionally pulling their goalie for an extra attacker, as the previous four instances of own goals were all on delayed penalties.
11 - Chris Mason - Nashville Predators - April 15, 2006
Opponent: Phoenix Coyotes
Score after Mason scored: 5-1
Final score: 5-1
In the second-last game of the 2005-2006 season for the Nashville Predators, Chris Mason was credited with a goal halfway through the third period on a delayed penalty. This would make Chris Mason’s goal the latest goalie goal in a regular season. Mason would become the sixth goaltender to score in the previous seven seasons, and would become the last goaltender to score until the 2011-2012 season.
12 - Cam Ward - Carolina Hurricanes - December 26, 2011
Opponent: New Jersey Devils
Score after Ward scored: 4-2
Final score: 4-2
After five consecutive seasons without a goalie goal, Cam Ward broke this drought on Boxing Day of 2011. Ward was credited with a goal after Ilya Kovalchuk made an arrant pass back to the point, which would perfectly hit the middle of his own net.
13 - Martin Brodeur (3) - New Jersey Devils - March 21, 2013
Opponent: Carolina Hurricanes
Score after Brodeur scored: 1-0
Final score: 4-1
One season later, the two teams involved in the previous goalie goal swapped positions, as this time it was the Devils’ goalie being the last to touch the puck, and the Hurricanes scoring on themselves. While on the surface it seems like an ordinary own goal goalie goal, there were actually five notable achievements as a result of this goalie goal.
Brodeur was credited with a goal on the delayed penalty just 3:54 into the game, making it the earliest goalie goal of all time. Additionally, the Devils were on the powerplay, meaning Brodeur joined Evgeni Nabokov in the exclusive powerplay goalie goal club. This was Martin Brodeur’s third career goal, putting him ahead of Ron Hextall for most goalie goals of all time, although Hextall had more goals of the physically shooting variety. Being in the late stages of his career, Brodeur was 40 years old when he scored his third goal, making him the oldest goaltender to score in the NHL. Finally, the most amazing feat of them all, Brodeur became the first, and so far only goalie to technically score on another goalie. This is because Hurricanes’ goaltender Dan Ellis attempted to rush back to save the puck after leaving for the delayed penalty. However, it was too late, but because he was still on the ice when the puck went in, Ellis was punished with a goal against, and therefore, Brodeur technically scored on another goalie in the net. Brodeur is also the last goalie to score by the own goal variety to this day.
14 - Mike Smith - Arizona Coyotes - October 19, 2013
Opponent: Detroit Red Wings
Score after Smith scored: 5-2
Final score: 5-2
Early in the 2013-2014 season, Mike Smith scored what is undoubtedly the most exciting goalie goal of all time, and was the first goalie since Evgeni Nabokov in 2002 to physically shoot the puck. By the time the puck was on Smith’s stick in the shooting position, there was 4.5 seconds left on the clock. By the time the puck crossed the goal line, there was 0.1 seconds left on the clock. Mike Smith scored at the latest possible time in a period, and is the only goalie to score a “buzzer-beater” goal. This would be the first time that the NHL saw multiple goalie goals in the same calendar year.
Two seasons later, Mike Smith would score at the All-Star Skills Competition, and as impressive as that already is, the net was completely covered aside from a tiny hole in the middle along the ice. Mike Smith was known for his puck playing abilities, for better and for worse.
15 - Pekka Rinne - Nashville Predators - January 9, 2020
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks
Score after Rinne scored: 5-2
Final score: 5-2
Pekka Rinne scored his first and only goal during his 12th full season in the NHL, making him one of the oldest goalies to score a goal. Rinne was the second goaltender in Nashville Predator’s history to score a goal, as Chris Mason scored the first in 2006. As a result, the Predators are the only franchise with multiple goaltenders to score a goalie goal.
16 - Linus Ullmark - Boston Bruins - February 25, 2023
Opponent: Vancouver Canucks
Score after Ullmark scored: 3-1
Final score: 3-1
Linus Ullmark had attempted a goalie goal previously and was known as an elite puck handler, making fans speculate that it was only a matter of time before he would score. Ullmark’s goal was very similar to Chris Osgood’s in 1996. Ullmark was the first goalie since Osgood to physically shoot and score despite only being up by one goal. Additionally, Ullmark attempted his goal despite being way out of his net, as did Osgood in 1996.
Linus Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy in 2023 voted as the NHL’s best goaltender, making him the first, and so far only goaltender to score a goal and win the Vezina Trophy in the same season.
17 - Tristan Jarry - Pittsburgh Penguins - November 30, 2023
Opponent: Tampa Bay Lightning
Score after Jarry scored: 4-2
Final score: 4-2
In the same calendar year as the previous goalie goal, Tristan Jarry joined Osgood and Ullmark as the only goalies to shoot and score while only being up by one goal. This would also mark the second instance of two goalie goals in the same calendar year.
18 - Filip Gustavsson - Minnesota Wild - October 15, 2024
Opponent: St. Louis Blues
Score after Gustavsson scored: 4-1
Final score: 4-1
With nine seconds remaining on the clock, Filip Gustavsson shot the puck into the empty net and joined Nabokov and Brodeur as the only goaltenders to record a powerplay goal. October 15th is the earliest a goaltender has ever scored into a season, and the fourth game of the season is similarly the earliest game into a season that a goaltender has scored.
Summary
As of Filip Gustavsson’s latest goal, there have been 18 goalie goals, and 15 different goalies to score. Of the 18 goals, 11 have been physical shots, while seven have been from own goals by the opposing team. The New Jersey Devils have scored the most goalie goals, with Martin Brodeur scoring all three. The New Jersey Devils franchise have also been on the receiving end of three goalie goals (Billy Smith, Damian Rhodes, and Cam Ward), and as a result, the Devils were involved in one third of all goalie goals, by far the most of any team. The Nashville Predators have the best “goalie goal differential”, as they have scored two and have never been on the receiving end of one. The Canucks have the worst “goalie goal differential”, as they have allowed two goalie goals and have never scored themselves.
Key Notes of all Goalie Goals