Watch: Alex Nedeljkovic seals victory for Penguins after scoring goalie goal – Source: Imagn

Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Alex Nedeljkovic accomplished a rare feat on Friday night. In the Penguins’ game against the Buffalo Sabres, Nedeljkovic scored an empty-net goal to seal the win for the Pens.

The goal was scored with just under three minutes to go in the third period. The Sabres had pulled the goalie down two goals, but ended up surrendering the tally after Nedeljkovic’s clearing attempt from behind the net went all the way down the ice.

Here’s a closer look at the remarkable play:

The replay showed Nedeljkovic playing the puck behind the net, then firing a clearing attempt down the ice. While the play could have led to a scoring chance if the puck had been intercepted, the shot went all the way down the ice and straight into the net.

None of the Buffalo players could catch up with the puck, watching helplessly as it slid into the wide-open cage. As soon as the puck crossed the line, Alex Nedeljkovic’s teammates mobbed him to celebrate the goal.

Nedeljkovic became the second Penguins netminder to score after Tristan Jarry managed the feat in November 2023 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Since 2023, four goaltenders have scored a goal, with Nedeljkovic being the second this season to accomplish the feat after Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson in October against the St. Loius Blues.

Alex Nedeljkovic becomes 16th NHL goalie to score a goal

In NHL history, 16 netminders have been credited with a goal. Alex Nedeljkovic joined that exclusive group on Friday night.

The first goal scored by a goalie was credited to the New York Islanders’ Billy Smith in 1979. The goal was officially scored an own goal as it deflected off an opposing player.

Ron Hextall became the first goalie to score via a shot on goal in 1987. Hextall fired the puck down the ice in a game against the Boston Bruins, becoming the first NHL netminder to purposely score a goal.

Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils accomplished the feat three times, while Hextall did it twice.

There has been an interesting uptick in goalies scoring. Since the 2022-23 season, four different goalies have scored. Linus Ullmark scored in February 2023 while playing with Boston, Jarry in November 2023, Filip Gustavsson in October 2024 and now Nedeljkovic this year.

Gustavsson and Nedeljkovic’s goals mark the first time two goalies have scored in the same season. Brodeur and Mike Smith of the then-Phoenix Coyotes scored in the same calendar year, 2013 though the goals came in different seasons. Similarly, Ullmark and Jarry scored in 2023, but not in the same season.

Now, Nedeljkovic has a chance at joining Brodeur and Hextall as the only goalies to score more than one NHL goal.