Video: Watch Predators' Pekka Rinne Become 12th NHL Goalie to Score a Goal
January 10, 2020
Few moments in sports are more entertaining than hockey goaltenders scoring goals, but no one in the NHL had done so since 2013 entering Thursday.
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne had other ideas, though.
The 14-season NHL veteran gave Nashville a 5-2 lead over the Chicago Blackhawks in the closing seconds of their game after he corralled the puck behind his own goal line and sent it into the empty net across the ice:
Per ESPN News Services, Rinne became just the 12th goaltender in NHL history to score a goal. The Phoenix Coyotes' Mike Smith was the last one to do so on Oct. 19, 2013, in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.
"I obviously understand that it might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Rinne said postgame, "so I really enjoyed it. It was an awesome feeling seeing that puck go in."
"It was pretty cool," Rinne added. "I just threw my hands up in the air and tried to act as cool as I can."
Rinne's next mission may be to become the third goaltender in history to score multiple goals. Ex-New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur scored three, and former Philadelphia Flyers netminder Ron Hextall had two. They are also the only two goalies to score in the playoffs.
Rinne and the Preds moved to 20-16-7 on the year with the 5-2 road win. The Blackhawks fell to 19-20-6.