Igor Shesterkin scored a goalie goal Thursday night, and the New York Rangers now own the strangest highlight of the young season.
With Tampa Bay's net empty late in the game, he found the back of it, per Spittin' Chiclets.
The graphic in the clip showed 2:36 on the third-period clock, with the Rangers up 4-1.
In the clip, the puck slides toward the empty net while a lone Lightning skater chases from the far circle and fans in the corner start to stand.
Best moment of the season so far, and it isn't close. Goalies aren't supposed to score, and he did it in the Rangers' second game.
It's the designated driver winning the karaoke contest. Nobody saw it coming, and nobody is ever letting him forget it.
Who needs a shutout when you can do this? Shesterkin finished Tuesday's 3-0 loss in Boston with a .909 save percentage.
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The Rangers' crease belongs to Shesterkin with Korpisalo out
Joonas Korpisalo is listed day-to-day with a lower-body injury and expected out until at least October 9.
That puts the crease squarely on Shesterkin, who carries an $11,567,857 cap hit.
Korpisalo's $4,000,000 deal means the Rangers are paying their backup to watch for at least another week.
The Rangers play again Friday in Detroit, so the workload question shows up immediately. Utah visits on Sunday after that.
Jon Cooper's Lightning were playing their season opener, and a 25-24 shot count says they weren't exactly outplayed.
It was already a lively night in New York, with Alberts Smits lining up Erik Cernak along the Tampa Bay bench earlier on.
Mike Sullivan's group came into the night at 0-1-0, still looking for its first goal of the season.
They found plenty tonight, including one from the 30-year-old in No. 31, from the least likely spot on the ice.
The Lightning head home to host Washington on Saturday.
Shesterkin's stat line will carry a goal all year. The bigger question is how hard the Rangers can lean on him before Korpisalo gets back.
Is Igor Shesterkin's goalie goal the best moment of the NHL season so far?
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