List of Goaltenders Who Have Scored A Goal in An NHL Game

List Of Goaltenders Who Have Scored A Goal In An NHL Game

Ten goaltenders have scored a total of thirteen goals in National Hockey League (NHL) games. A goalkeeper can score by either physically shooting the puck into the net, or being awarded the goal as the last player of his team to touch puck when the opponent scored an own goal. A goal scored by shooting the puck is particularly challenging as the goaltender has to aim for an empty net, six feet wide, at least 180 feet away, while avoiding opposing defensemen; in the case of own goals, the combined circumstance of the own goal itself in addition the goaltender being the last player to touch the puck makes it a very rare occurrence. Of the thirteen goals, six were scored by shooting the puck and seven were the result of own goals.

Goaltenders have participated in the offense, albeit in a limited way, since the earliest days of the sport. Before the creation of the NHL in 1917, there were some instances recorded of goaltenders rushing down the ice to participate in the play, occasionally scoring a goal. This practice has since been outlawed (goalies are not allowed to cross the center red line to play the puck) after the Toronto Maple Leafs' Gary Smith was injured on such a rush in the 1966–67 NHL season. During the history of the league, there had been some near-misses by goaltenders, including attempts by Chuck Rayner by aiming at the empty net, or joining the attack.

In 1977, Rogatien Vachon of the Los Angeles Kings briefly became the first goaltender to score a goal. In a game against the New York Islanders, The Kings were called for a penalty. As is customary during a delayed penalty, the attacking team (in this case, the Islanders) pulled their goalie Glenn Resch for an extra skater because once the Kings would control the puck, the whistle would blow and they could not score. But the Islanders could score against themselves and this is exactly what happened. After setting up in the attacking zone, they attempted to pass the puck back to a defenseman at the blue line. But the errant pass went in between the two defensemen and slid all the way down the ice into the empty net. Hockey rules state that, in the event a team puts the puck in its own net, the goal shall be credited to the opponent who last touched the puck. The scorer initially thought Vachon made a save prior to this play; he was even announced by the public announcer as the goal scorer. But further video review revealed Vic Venasky cleared the rebound after Vachon's save making him the last opponent to touch the puck and Venasky was officially credited with the goal.

Billy Smith of the New York Islanders became the first goaltender to score an NHL goal on November 28, 1979, when he was given credit following an own goal. Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers became the second goalkeeper to score, and the first to score by taking a shot. The most recent goal credited to a goaltender was awarded to Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils on March 21, 2013.