CALGARY, Alberta, Canada – Former Nittany Lion goaltender Arsenii Sergeev made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut on Thursday night backstopping the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory in their season finale.
Sergeev stopped 27-of-28 shots in the win becoming the first Flames goaltender to win his debut game in each league all in the same season (ECHL, AHL, NHL).
Arsi with the game puck and the red blazer 🥹 pic.twitter.com/aVeqvZH71g
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) April 17, 2026
"It's living the dream, it's everything I've dreamed about. I'm so excited, I don't have words right now."
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) April 17, 2026
Arsenii Sergeev's first NHL game was one to remember! pic.twitter.com/nVWmc31R3C
Sergeev inked his ELC with the Flames last spring after backstopping Penn State to its first-ever Frozen Four and has spent the 2025-26 season split between the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush and the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Sergeev posted a 6-6-0 record with a .922 save percentage and a 2.94 goals-against average in 12 games for Rapid City earning a spot on the ECHL All-Star team before being called up to the Wranglers in December.
Sergeev has appeared in 28 games for the Wranglers posting a 5-13-12 record with a 3.29 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage.
The Yaroslavl, Russia native posted a 19-9-4 record with the Nittany Lions last season setting career records with a .919 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average and four shutouts and was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team.
Sergeev was called up at 7 a.m. Thursday morning on an emergency basis after Flames backup Devin Cooley woke up ill and he was made aware he would be starting prior to morning skate at 10 a.m.
The Russian net-minder is now set to return to the Wranglers and finish off the AHL campaign.
Sergeev is just the fourth different Nittany Lion to appear in an NHL contest joining Casey Bailey, Brett Murray and Brandon Biro. Biro last appeared for the Sabres for five games during the 2023-24 season scoring twice while Murray also last appeared for the Sabres skating in three games during the 2024-25 season.