New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin made history on Thursday night, scoring the first goal by a netminder in franchise history during a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden.

With Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy pulled for an extra attacker, Lightning defenseman John Carlson attempted a stretch pass that missed its intended target and bounced off the end boards. Shesterkin collected the puck near his own net and immediately sent it down the ice toward the empty goal.

The shot found the net with 2:34 remaining, but Shesterkin initially had no idea whether he had scored.

“Someone on the blue line, he screened me a little bit when I shot and I didn't see the puck go in,” said Shesterkin. “I didn't know if I could celebrate or not.”

The uncertainty lasted only moments. The Madison Square Garden crowd erupted, while Shesterkin's teammates raced toward him. Noah Laba and Vladislav Gavrikov were among the first Rangers players to reach him, with eight skaters eventually surrounding the goaltender.

“Everyone started jumping on me,” Shesterkin said. “Unbelievable feelings.”

Article Continues Below

The historic tally made Shesterkin the 18th different goalie to score in an NHL game and the 21st goalie goal in league history, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nineteen of those goals have come during the regular season and two in the playoffs.

The goal also had some extra meaning because Shesterkin had previously joked about his friend and fellow Russian netminder Ilya Sorokin receiving credit for a goal last season. Sorokin was the last New York Islanders player to touch the puck before the Nashville Predators sent it into their own net. Shesterkin had previously argued that Sorokin's goal should not count because he did not actually put the puck into the net.

This time, there was no question about Shesterkin's contribution.

The 30-year-old also stopped 24 of Tampa Bay's 25 shots. The Lightning's only goal came when a Nikita Kucherov pass deflected off Laba and into the net. Shesterkin also helped New York's penalty kill go 6-for-6.

Shesterkin had scored one goal previously at age 19 in a junior league in Russia. His latest goal, however, cemented his place in Rangers history.