Filip Gustavsson scores the first goalkeeper goal in Wild history

ST. LOUIS – Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson saw an opportunity and took advantage of it.

Gustavsson crowned the Wild's 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues with the rare goalkeeper goal. The 26-year-old blocked a shot from Pavel Buchnevich from the blue line, dropped it on his stick and lifted a shot high into the air, which stayed there and slipped into the empty net with 8.1 seconds left.

“They probably try to get me to kickoff and faceoff in our zone and they just put it right in the glove and I try to put it away as quickly as possible,” Gustavsson said. “It was just perfect on the ice and I just try to shoot as hard as I can.”

It was Gustavsson's first ever goal and the first ever goalie goal in Wild franchise history.

Gustavsson thought about giving it a try after talking to teammate and fellow goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during a Blues timeout with 34 seconds left.

“Flower looked at the board and said, ‘Yeah, we’re two goals ahead, you should probably try that. When you get the chance, do you shoot right?'” Gustavsson said. “I thought, yeah, maybe I should do that.”

Gustavsson is the 15th goaltender to score a goal in NHL history and the first since Pittsburgh's Tristan Jarry on November 20, 2023 against Tampa Bay. It was also only the third power play goal by a goaltender after San Jose's Evgeni Nabokov (March 10, 2002) and New Jersey's Martin Brodeur (March 21, 2013).

Wild coach John Hynes witnessed Nashville's Pekka Rinne score a goalie goal against Chicago on January 9, 2020, while he was coach of the Predators.

“It was almost very similar to Gus, it was kind of a 6-on-5 situation where you got on the goalie and he had time to make it,” Hynes said. “You could see with both guys that they wanted it. It’s great to see.”

Gustavsson celebrated in style with a flyby of the Wild Bank.

“It was unbelievable,” Wild center Jakub Lauko said. “It was incredible. It would have been nicer if we had been home with a full barn. But you know, it's an incredible moment. I’m just happy for him.”

Gustavsson, who made 27 saves against the Blues, had a strong start to the season, improving to 2-0-1. He stopped 91 of 96 shots he faced and posted a save percentage of .948.

He's given a big boost to Minnesota, which is dealing with several key injuries while playing just the second of a seven-game road trip of the season.

“I don’t think I’m doing anything special at the moment,” Gustavsson said. “I'm not too noticeable. Of course I make some bigger saves, but that usually happens when you're not in the right position. I just try to be in the right position most of the time and make boring saves. And I think that's how it is.” has worked very well so far.