Penguins’ Nedeljkovic makes NHL history as he becomes 1st goalie with goal and assist in a game

by | Jan 18, 2025 | Sports

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Alex Nedeljkovic remembers admiring the way Marty Turco and Martin Brodeur handled the puck during his childhood.On Friday night, he accomplished something neither of them — or any other goalie — had ever done.Nedeljkovic became the first goalie in NHL history to have a goal and an assist in a game during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres. “I’ve always enjoyed playing the puck,” he said. “Growing up, I watched some of the best guys do it, like Marty Turco, Marty Brodeur were two guys that I watched a lot and really learned a lot from in terms of puck handling. It’s been part of my game as long as I can remember. “Started from just conversations with my dad in the car telling me, like, ‘Don’t just throw the puck around the boards every time you get it. Try to make a smart play with it, put it on guys’ tape. Don’t just do it; if you’re going to do it, at least try to do something with it.’ It’s really exciting right now.”Nedeljkovic, who halso had 40 saves, had a secondary assist on Glass’ goal with 8:17 left in the second period that gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead. His goal came with 2:42 to play after the Sabres pulled goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for an extra skater. He gathered the puck behind his own net and fired away from behind the goal line and buried the shot from about 180 feet away into the open goal to cap the scoring.“I’m out there and I see a relatively soft rim,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said. “I’m like, ‘He’s getting it. We’re up by two. I know he’s probably shooting it.’ So, I kind of just stood there and watched the rest of however …

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