Marian Gaborik has already hit two milestones that end in double zeroes this season.
On Friday night, and at the world’s most famous arena, he hit his first that ends in three.
Gaborik took to the ice at Madison Sqaure Garden in his 1,000th NHL game as the Los Angeles Kings took on the New York Rangers.
Congrats on 1000 @NHL games @MGaborik12! #NYR https://t.co/szrFopfGHd
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 16, 2017
It’s not a bad backdrop for the veteran of 19 NHL seasons.
Gaborik played 255 games with the Blueshirts between 2009 and 2013, hitting the 40-goal plateau twice and recording his career-best season in 2009-10, scoring 42 goals and adding 44 helpers for 86 points in 76 games played.
Gaborik has only played 11 games this season after starting the year on the shelf with a knee injury. Gaborik only returned to the lineup on Nov. 24, but he set two milestones in his return, hitting 400 career NHL goals and 800 career NHL points earlier this month.
Coming into Friday’s game, his stat line read 800 points in 999 NHL games.
As Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston points out, perfect symmetry could be achieved if Gaborik finishes with a plus-one in the plus-minus column in the game and he is held without a point.
I’m sure he’d rather have a new puck to add to his mantle... but think of the stats, Marian.
UPDATE: He didn’t think of the stats.
Marian Gaborik has more to celebrate than just his 1,000th NHL game tonight 👌 pic.twitter.com/K4KHbYAX8R
— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 16, 2017
Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck
