In a remarkable moment for the NHL, goalie Alex Nedeljkovic etched his name in history. While playing against the Sabres on Friday, he scored a goal from the opposite side of the ice during the final minutes of the game, becoming the first goalie ever to achieve both a goal and an assist in the same NHL game.
After netting the goal, Nedeljkovic celebrated by jumping onto the Penguins’ bench, where his teammates quickly surrounded him in celebration.
His empty-net goal came at 17:18 of the third period, concluding a strong five-goal performance by the Penguins, who defeated the Sabres 5-2.
Milestone for the Penguins’ Goaltender
Earlier in the game, Nedeljkovic recorded an assist by setting up forward Cody Glass in the second period. With this goal, he became only the second goaltender in Penguins history to score, following Tristan Jarry, who accomplished this feat last season.
Throughout NHL history, only 16 goaltenders have managed to score, contributing to a total of just 19 goals. The last instance of a goaltender scoring occurred earlier this season, when Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson found the net during an October game against the Blues.
Nedeljkovic’s goal also marks a milestone as it’s the first season to witness multiple goaltenders scoring.
Martin Brodeur, a legendary figure for the Devils, holds the record for the most goals scored by a goaltender, having achieved this three times during his illustrious 22-year NHL career.
