Since winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t found a steady option at goaltender. Tristan Jarry has been shaky at best, with a side of playoff disappointment. Alex Nedeljkovic has had moments but doesn’t appear to be an everyday starter in the NHL. Although they haven’t been at the top of the league in the puck-stopping department, the Penguins goalies have found an unusual way to be productive.
The NHL has had four goalies score goals since the start of 2023. The Penguins have two of them. On November 30, 2023, Tristan Jarry scored an empty net goal in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lighting. It was the first goalie goal in Penguins history. Marc Andre Fleury desperately tried to get one for years but couldn’t do it. Jarry found the net and made 39 saves in the win. Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, and Drew O’Connor also added goals that night.
Not only was he the first Penguins goaltender to score a goal, Jarry was the first goalie to score a goal in Wilkes Barre Scranton history as well, with his goal on November 14, 2018, in Springfield. Ironically, Jarry now finds himself back in Wilkes Barre Scranton after clearing waivers. He has trouble stopping pucks but he can fling one 200 feet for a goal.
Jarry wasn’t the only Pittsburgh goaltender to find the net last season. Alex Nedeljkovic scored a goal for the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate. It made him the first goalie in AHL history to have two goals, with his other one coming as a member of the Charlotte Checkers. Nedeljkovic also scored a goal in the ECHL as a member of the Florida Everblades.
On January 17, 2025, Nedeljkovic finally got one at the NHL level. In the Penguins’ 5-2 win over the Sabres, The Pittsburgh netminder added the cherry on top with his empty net goal. On top of making 40 saves in a big win for Pittsburgh, Nedeljkovic became the first goalie in NHL history to register a goal and an assist in a single game. It was a big night for the guy who was the backup just a week prior. He’s now scored four goals at the professional level.
Pittsburgh went into Buffalo to start a seven-game road trip that will be a determining factor for hope the rest of the season goes. In addition to Nedeljkovic’s stellar performance, the Penguins got goals from Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Cody Glass, and Anthony Beauvillier. It was a quiet night for the Penguins stars but the glue guys got it done.
After their game in Washington against the Capitals, the Penguins will head out west to play the Kings, Ducks, Kraken, Sharks, and the Utah Hockey Club. The Penguins have 35 games to attempt to turn the season around and sneak into the playoff picture after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. After the road trip, Pittsburgh will get a string of massively important games against fellow Metropolitan Division teams.
Nedeljkovic’s goal put the cap on a fantastic night for the Penguins who needed a win after dropping six of their last eight games. Much like the rest of the sports teams in the city, it’s been rough for the Penguins lately. Missing the playoffs two years in a row with the aging core of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. If the Penguins can grab some wins out west, the whole season could have a different outlook.
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