When the Columbus Blue Jackets inexplicably pulled their goalie on a 4-on-4 with about 12 minutes left in the game, down 5-2, Conor Sheary swooped in and scored on an empty netter at 12:39.
That was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, non-penalty-related empty net goals in NHL history. According to @Sportradar, Sheary’s goal was the second earliest scored in a third period in NHL history. But the earliest EN goal – scored on Nov. 28, 1979 – happened on a delayed penalty own-goal, credited to Islanders goalie Billy Smith.