Igor Shesterkin had the chance to do it again. Late in the third period on Sunday, with Utah’s net empty and the New York Rangers leading, the goaltender who had become the first in franchise history to score a goal three days earlier looked up and saw another opportunity.
He’d already tried once that night, only for Mikhail Sergachev to retreat and keep the puck out. This time he passed instead, finding Will Cuylle, who set up Eeli Tolvanen for the empty-netter at 18:45 of a 4-2 win.
Cuylle enjoyed the whole thing, including the crowd’s reaction earlier in the game.
“I thought it was pretty funny when the fans were yelling ‘Shoot’ in the first period when they saw the goalie in the net,” Cuylle said per NHL.com. “It was a great play by him on the empty-net goal to not go for the goal and pass it up to me and we get the empty-net goal. He’s obviously a smart guy. He can make saves and play a little offense too.”
Has an NHL goalie ever had points in three straight games?
Points in back-to-back appearances already puts him somewhere unusual. No goaltender had managed that since Connor Ingram with Utah in February 2025, and the company waiting for him if he does it once more is thinner still: Henrik Lundqvist in 2010-11, Ed Belfour in 2001-02, and Tom Barrasso in 1984-85 and again in 1988-89.
READ MORE: Igor Shesterkin’s reaction to his goal was perfect
There’s a neatness to the Lundqvist name appearing on that list, too. The Rangers legend spent 15 seasons in that same net without ever scoring, and was among the first to congratulate Shesterkin on Thursday, posting that it was “just a matter of time.”
The 28-save performance was the more routine part of Shesterkin’s night. He now has points in consecutive starts as the Rangers won a third straight game, having opened their home schedule with two wins after losing their first seven at Madison Square Garden last season.
Read more:
