The NHL playoff race is heating up, but not just on the scoreboard. For the first time in six years, goaltenders are dropping the gloves. This season has already seen three separate goalie brawls, a rare sight signaling just how high the postseason stakes have become.

Since 2020, this is the first time that goaltenders have been involved in fights. And it’s not as if this incident happened just once after 2020. It actually occurred three times in a single season.

The recent fight happened between Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers and Jacob Markstrom of the New Jersey Devils. The two individuals engaged in a fiery confrontation on March 31, 2026.

Both teams were pushing for a playoff spot. The emotions spilt over in a moment that symbolised just how intense the postseason race has become. Igor made 22 saves in the game. The Rangers won the game 4-1. 

As per reports, prior to this season, the last goalie fight in the National Hockey League took place on February 1, 2020. That clash occurred between Mike Smith (Oilers) and Cam Talbot (Flames).

This clearly shows that over the past few years, goalie fights have almost completely disappeared from the NHL.

The Other Goalie Fights That Shook the 2026 NHL Playoffs Picture

The first goalie fight came in January, when Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers squared off against Alex Nedeljkovic of the San Jose Sharks. The incident happened after a heated sequence near the net.

That moment signals that tensions were beginning to boil over as teams fought for crucial standings points. Nedeljkovic made 35 saves for San Jose in that game. The San Jose won that game 4-1.

Just weeks later, another high-profile clash took place when Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins dropped the gloves with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

The fight electrified the crowd and quickly went viral on social media. Tampa Bay Lightning won the close-fought game 6-5. 

The three goalie fights this season clearly show just how tight the race for the NHL playoffs has become. Every team is giving it their all to secure a postseason spot. This battle is only going to get more interesting because every remaining regular-season game will carry massive importance.

If we look at the most recent fight between Igor Shesterkin and Jacob Markstrom, we can clearly see just how tight the situation has become.

The New Jersey Devils are currently sitting in 7th place and are giving everything they have to secure a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the New York Rangers may be out of the playoff race, but they are still playing for pride. They will also want to finish their season on a positive note.

Don’t be surprised if we end up seeing even more goalie fights as the intensity continues to rise.

What’s your take on this? Comment down below.

Read more at the NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi