- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Rangers' Zibanejad Grins at Epic Goalie Fight
Mika Zibanejad enjoyed watching Rangers' Igor Shesterkin and Devils' Jacob Markstrom drop the gloves.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:37pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
In a disappointing season for both the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, the two teams faced off on Tuesday night and provided fans with an unexpected highlight - a goalie fight between the Rangers' Igor Shesterkin and the Devils' Jacob Markstrom. Rangers star Mika Zibanejad, who knows both players well, was all smiles watching the rare on-ice altercation unfold.
Why it matters
Goalie fights are an uncommon sight in the NHL, so the clash between Shesterkin and Markstrom provided a rare moment of excitement for fans of both teams, even as their clubs struggle through losing seasons. The fight also demonstrated the competitive fire and leadership qualities of the two netminders.
The details
In the third period of Tuesday's game, Shesterkin and Markstrom dropped their gloves and engaged in a fight, much to the delight of Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, who is familiar with both players. Zibanejad, who has been Shesterkin's teammate since the goalie joined the Rangers in 2019-20 and has played with Markstrom on the Swedish national team, said he 'knew Markstrom is feisty' and had a feeling the fight was going to happen. Rangers forward JT Miller also praised Shesterkin's willingness to stand up for himself and his team.
- The fight occurred in the third period of the Rangers-Devils game on Tuesday, April 1, 2026.
The players
Mika Zibanejad
A forward for the New York Rangers who has played with both goalies involved in the fight - Igor Shesterkin on the Rangers and Jacob Markstrom on the Swedish national team.
Igor Shesterkin
The goaltender for the New York Rangers who engaged in the fight with Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom.
Jacob Markstrom
The goaltender for the New Jersey Devils who fought with Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin.
JT Miller
A forward for the New York Rangers who praised Shesterkin's willingness to stand up for himself and the team.
What they’re saying
“It was awesome. Obviously, knowing Markstrom a bit (from the Sweden Olympic team), I knew he's feisty, so when he started skating over, I had a feeling it was gonna happen… It was a lot of fun to watch.”
— Mika Zibanejad, Rangers Forward
“It's just so rare, unexpected. That was just old-school … I think it was great for our team to see that. To see what a goalie can do – obviously goalies aren't fighting that often — to see him have him have our back and stick up for himself obviously sends a message that he's such a leader for us.”
— JT Miller, Rangers Forward
The takeaway
While the Rangers and Devils are both struggling this season, the rare goalie fight between Shesterkin and Markstrom provided an exciting moment for fans and demonstrated the competitive spirit and leadership qualities of the two netminders, even as their teams have fallen out of playoff contention.
