Patrick Kane Reaches 500 Goals in the NHL
In a historic night for ice hockey, Patrick Kane joined the select group of players who have reached the 500-goal mark in the NHL. The Detroit Red Wings player achieved this feat on Thursday, scoring his second goal of the game into an empty net, contributing to his team’s 5-1 victory against the Vancouver Canucks.Kane, 37, becomes the fiftieth player in NHL history to surpass this figure. In addition, he is the fifth U.S.-born player to achieve this, following in the footsteps of Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513), and Joe Mullen (502). Brett Hull, who has dual nationality and played internationally for the United States, accumulated 741 goals.“I’m relieved this is over, to be honest,” Kane said. “Obviously, it’s still a very good feeling.”
Patrick Kane
Kane’s first goal came in the first period, taking advantage of a two-man advantage. With a precise shot, he beat goalkeeper Kevin Lankinen. “I could have gotten it tonight and gotten it off my back,” Kane commented after the first period.
The culminating moment arrived when Lankinen was pulled to allow an extra player to enter, which allowed Kane to score goal number 500. “I’m not usually on the ice when the net is empty,” Kane said. “It was nice to have that opportunity and to hear the crowd erupt when I got on the ice was great. And then, obviously, to get the puck right away and have the opportunity to put it in the net for goal 500 was a great feeling.” With 1,369 career points, Kane is only five points away from Modano, the mark for players born in the United States. Despite not being included in the U.S. Olympic team, Kane has proven his worth with eight goals in 30 games this season, despite having missed 15 games due to injuries. Kane also joins Gordie Howe, Dino Ciccarelli, Steve Yzerman, Pat Verbeek and Brendan Shanahan as the only players to reach 500 goals playing for the Red Wings.
