New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) late game open net goal is celebrated with center Casey Cizikas (53) during the third period at UBS Arena. Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

Watch: Islanders goalie credited with first career goal

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Mar 1, 2025 5:36 PM ET

The New York Islanders were 7-4 winners over the Nashville Predators on Saturday afternoon, and Brock Nelson was one of their big stars in the win with a pair of goals.

But there was a very surprising and unexpected name on their goal-scorer list for the game: Starting goalie Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin was credited with his first career goal late in the third period when the Predators accidentally put the puck into their own net after pulling the goalie. Because Sorokin was the last Islanders player to touch the puck, the goal is credited to him.

Have a look.

ILYA SOROKIN. When you get the save AND the goal! #LGI | @Ford pic.twitter.com/jS8Gu0YUzY
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 1, 2025

Sorokin is the 17th different goalie in NHL history to be credited with a goal, and the second Islanders goalie to do so.

Those 17 goalies have combined for 20 goals, with Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall both scoring multiple goals.

Billy Smith also scored a goal for the Islanders and was the first goalie in NHL history to ever be credited with one. Like Sorokin's goal, it was also the result of an own goal.

Of the 20 goalie goals in NHL history, eight of them have been awarded goals like Sorokin. Twelve of them have actually been shot into the net.

Sorokin's goal is the third goalie goal of the season, joining Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson and Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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