It's the first time since Winnipeg tender Chris Mason did it in 2006 with the Predators, but a goalie was credited with a goal. Specifically, Carolina netminder Cam Ward.
The video is below. Don't get too excited, it's not quite as exciting as you might originally think. But this is the first goal by a tender in franchise history. A franchise which dates back to 1979 in Hartford, so it is certainly an outstanding stat.
How did he do it? Well, he didn't take a shot on net. No. Rather the Canes were playing the Devils with a 3-2 score in favor of Carolina. It was the final minute of play and New Jersey had an extra attacker leaving an empty net. Ward made a save and the Devils collected the rebound. Ilya Kovalchuk made a bad pass that skipped past his teammate and into the open net all the way down the ice. Since it was put in the net by the team that was suppose to defend that net, rules state the last player of the opposition that touched the puck gets credit for an unassisted goal.
The bounce off Cam Ward on the save was good enough to say he touched the puck giving him the ellusive goal.
How rare is this?
Only 12 goals have been credited as being scored by goalies in the NHL (by ten total tenders).
The first was in 1979 by Billy Smith of the Islanders. Ron Hextall of the Flyers had two in his career. Both were actual shots on goal, one was in the playoffs AND was shorthanded. Chris Osgood, Damian Rhodes and Mika Noronen (all retired from the NHL) all had goals as well, but only Osgood's was a legit shot on goal. Jose Theodre had puck go in the net because of an intentional shot on goal too; however, Evgeni Nabokov remains the last goaltender to have scored by actually taking a shot on goal, having fired the puck into the Vancouver Canucks' empty net on March 10, 2002 as a member of the San Jose Sharks. Martin Bordeur has a pair of goals: one shot, the other one accidently scored by the opponent. That "own goal" turned out to be the game winning goal while the other scored by a shot on net was done during the playoffs.
All goals have been scored with an empty net.
Realistically, goaltenders can only score with an empty net because of Rule 27.7 where a goalie is not allowed to touch the puck past the center red line. It would have to be an incredible blunder on the part of the one tender essentially missing the puck after a clear by the goalie at the other end of the ice.
Another interesting note restricting goaltenders: they are not suppose to leave the crease during altercations. That's right. They are suppose to stay put. That's one reason goalie fights are so rare. Rule 27.6 actually imposes an automatic fine if they leave the crease in addition to being immediately referred to the Commission for supplimentary discipline. Of course there's exceptions to the rule (if the altercation is in or near the crease or if he legitimately left the crease and then became involved in some altercation, ect.) So next time there's some sort of brew-ha-ha on the ice, watch the tenders. They quitely wait in their little blue creases, often drinking water.
Here's the video of the 12th NHL goal by a goalie.
Link to video.
It reminds me of an event I've thought about and I would love LOVE to see in the NHL Superskills Competition during the All Star Weekend. I want to see a switching of positions. I want to see the goaltenders take a penalty shot. Take the puck at center ice, skate down, and take a shot on goal.
Who do you put in the nets? You can either suit up one of the skaters not used to playing the position, or you can put basically a goalie cut out in between the pipes to limit the target size. (I'd prefer to see the skater go between the pipes, but the time to suit them up might be too long). You can't have one of the other goalies minding net because I'd have to imagine the skills of the "shooter goalie" aren't anywhere close to being great making it just too unfair of a fight.
I just think that would be hilarliously awesome. Almost as good as the addition of the goalie race in last year's Superskill Competition. And who raced in that inaugural awesomeness? None other than Vezina Trophy Winner Tim Thomas (the award given to the best tender in the League) and the first netminder to score a goal in five years, Cam Ward.
Link to video.
You'd think the best goalie in the League could, I don't know, skate. But if this hockey thing doesn't work out, he can fall back on his acting.
Peggy...peggy! Hilarious! I like that commercial a lot. And yes, I know, he can skate and just lost his edge. It still would have been a funny race even if Thomas stayed on his feet.
Way to go Cam Ward. On both that race-win and the goal. Congrats. I hope you got to keep that puck.
