December 8th, 1987 - Ron Hextall Scores

The Hex is over as goalie scores in Philly victory

PHILADELPHIA - Minutes after becoming the first NHL goaltender to shoot the puck into an opponent's net for a goal, the Flyers' Ron Hextrall could only shake his head in disbelief.
Hextall's goal was one of four scored by the Flyers as the rallied to defeat the Boston Bruins 5-2 last night at the Spectrum. Peter Zezel contributed two powerplay goals during the rally including the game winner.
After Zezel's two goals and Brian Propp's second goals of the night gave the Flyers a 4-2 lead, Hextall took advantage of Boston's decision to bench goalie Rejean Lemelin in favor of an extra attacker.
He gained possesion of a loose puck and shot it high into the air towards the Bruins' net. The puck came down near the Boston blueline and rolled into the vacant net, just inside the left post.
It was a perfect opportunity for me with us being up two goals at the time", he said. "I looked up and saw the open ice."
"I was hoping to get the puck close. I shot it and saw it roll in. It was a great feeling."
It took 40,219 NHL games for a goalie to shoot the puck for a goal.
The only other netminder {at the time} to be credited with a goal is Bobby Smith of the New York Islanders. He picked up the tally on Nov. 28, 1979 when Colorado Rockies defenseman Rob Ramage passed the puck into his own net with his goaltender on the bench. Smith got the goal because he was the last Islander to touch the puck.

Ron Hextall celebrates his goal

Boxscore

Bruins 2 - Flyers 5

First Period

Scoring

1. Philadelphia - Propp 8 (Tocchet, Eklund) 6:58 (pp)

Penalties

Berube Pha major, Miller Bos major 5:05, Bourque Bos 5:14, Brown Pha major, Miller Bos major 12:06, Root Pha 14:49, Berube Pha major, Byers Bos major major, Brown Pa minor, major, Plett Bos major 19:05

Second Period

Scoring

2. Boston - Kluzak 2 (Sweeney) 6:09

3. Boston - Crowder 10 (Linsemen, Wesley) 7:51

Penalties

Larson Bos 12:38, Tocchet Pha 18:08

Third Period

Scoring

4. Philadelphia - Zezel 9 (Mellanby, Craven) 5:38 (pp)

5. Philadelphia - Zezel 10 (Craven, Howe) 14:40 (pp)

6. Philadelphia - Propp 9 17:33

7. Philadelphia - Hextall 1 18:48

Penalties

Larson Bos 3:48, Tocchet Pha 9:10, Bourque Bos 12:55, Pha bench (served by Dobbin) 18:48

Shots On Goal

Boston...	12	9	7	-	23
Philadelphia...	11	11	16	-	38

Powerplays-Boston 0-5; Philadelphia 3-4

Goaltenders-Boston,Lemelin ; Philadelphia, Hextall

Attendance - 17,345