Jarome Iginla scores goal No. 600, thankful chase is over (Video)
Jarome Iginla entered the Colorado Avalanche’s game against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night looking for the 600th goal of his career. He was stuck on 599 after going goal-less in the previous three games against the Sharks, Blackhawks and the Calgary Flames, the team with whom he began his career.
“It would have been nice,” he said of the Calgary game.
He was still stuck on 599 in the third period against the Kings, with the Avalanche up 3-1. Colorado went on the power play, and Iginla’s unit couldn’t convert. But coach Patrick Roy kept him out there, trying to get him No. 600.
As Colorado set up, Iginla saw a chance to feed teammate Gabriel Landeskog for a shot.
“I was trying to take it to the net, but I saw Landy’s stick in front. Looking for him, looking for him,” said Iginla on NBCSN after the game. “I just put it towards the net, and obviously a very fortunate bounce.”
The puck deflected off the skate of Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin and into the net.
It wasn’t pretty. There’s a good percentage of the previous 599 goals that weren’t, either. But it counted, and Iginla had his 11th of the season and No. 600 of his career in the Avs’ 4-1 win.
Iginla was happy the chase was brief between No. 599 and No. 600. “Every scoring chance you get, you think ‘Maybe this one, maybe this one,’” he said.
Not only that, but Iginla didn’t want to see over-generous teammates force things to get him a goal. “You love to be looked for. But you don’t want guys overpassing,” he said.
His first regular-season goal came on Oct. 5, 1996, in a 3-1 loss for the Flames against the Vancouver Canucks. Corey Millen and Cory Stillman had the assists. Oddly enough, it wasn’t his first goal for the Flames: Iginla scored his first NHL goal on April 23, 1996, in a playoff loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Iginla is second in active goal-scoring to Jaromir Jagr (735) and is the 19th player in NHL history to break 600 goals. Up next: Passing Jari Kurri (601), Dino Ciccarelli (608) and Bobby Hull (610) on the all-time goals list.
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
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