Igor Shesterkin made Madison Square Garden history Thursday night, becoming the first Rangers goalie to score in a 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the home opener.
With 2:34 left, Shesterkin sent the puck the length of the ice into an empty net, finishing off a night that belonged to New York from the start. The goal made him the 18th goalie in NHL history to score and the first Rangers netminder ever to do it. It was also the 21st goal by a goalie in NHL history when counting the playoffs.
New York made sure this opener never drifted into the same kind of trouble it ran into last season. A year after failing to score in their first three home games, the Rangers got on the board less than six minutes in when Mika Zibanejad scored on the power play after a penalty opened the door.
That early burst set the tone for a much cleaner night at MSG than the one the Rangers endured in October 2025, when they went nearly 181 minutes before scoring at home. That stretch made them the first team in league history to be shut out in its first three home games of a season.
This time, the Rangers attacked early and kept pressure on Andrei Vasilevskiy, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion. New York scored four times on 24 shots against him, with Pavel Dorofeyev and Eeli Tolvanen each netting their first goals with their new team. Gabe Perreault also got in on the action, redirecting a shot from No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox.
Shesterkin was just as sharp at the other end, stopping 24 of 25 shots. The only puck that got by him came off Nikita Kucherov, the reigning MVP, who banked it in off the right skate of Rangers center Noah Laba.
The building buzzed around Shesterkin all night, especially after the save count kept climbing and the chants of “Igor’s better!” started rolling through the crowd.
After his goal, the “Igor!” chants picked up again.
Up next, the Lightning host Washington in their home opener Saturday night. The Rangers head to Detroit on Friday night, with backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo injured and Dylan Garand appearing in line to start.
In Other News...
Cooper Sends Lightning An Early Warning They Can't Ignore
Jon Cooper did not wait long to send a message after Tampa Bays season opener against the Rangers, sounding far more concerned with the way his team played than with the final score alone. The Lightning opened at 0-1-0 after a 5-1 loss, and while there were some underlying numbers that could be viewed more favorably, Coopers tone suggested the issues ran deeper than a bad night in October.
For the Rangers, it was an opening win that looked increasingly convincing as Tampa Bays frustration grew. Cooper tied his critique to the kind of playoff shortcomings the Lightning have been trying to move past, and the next chance to reset comes quickly against the Washington Capitals. The early warning is clear enough, but whether Tampa Bay treats it that way is the real question now. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Home Opener Delivered The Reset Fans Needed
The home opener gave the Rangers a needed jolt after the frustration of their previous game, and the return to Madison Square Garden brought a more settled look right away. New York handled Tampa Bay with early offense and a cleaner overall start, getting goals from Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Dorofeyev before Eeli Tolvanen added another in the second period to help set the tone.
There was also movement in the roster before puck drop, with Dylan Garand rejoining the team as Joonas Korpisalo went on injured reserve. Jaroslav Chmelar made his season debut as part of the lineup shuffle, a reminder that the opening weeks can still be about sorting out roles as much as banking points. For a Rangers group looking to steady itself, the night offered a more encouraging reset, even if the deeper question is how long this version can hold. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face An Early Road Test With More Pressure Than Expected
The Rangers head into Detroit with a little more momentum than they may have expected after opening the season with a strong 5-1 win over Tampa Bay. Even so, this becomes an early road test with a different feel, because New York will turn to Dylan Garand in goal while Joonas Korpisalo deals with a lower-body injury.
Detroit has yet to play this season, so the matchup comes with plenty of unfamiliarity attached to it. The Red Wings are also working through their own issues, including Dylan Larkin being out with an upper-body injury, which leaves the Rangers facing a team still trying to sort itself out before the season even gets fully rolling. [Read more 🡒]