Pekka Rinne joins a very short list after scoring his first career NHL goal

BarDown Staff

Pekka Rinne , Twitter/PredsNHL

Not many people who make the NHL are fortunate enough to play in 650 games or more, and the ones who did manage to suit up for that many games probably can’t remember what happened on the night of their 650th career game.

Pekka Rinne, however, is going to remember his 650th NHL game forever.

On Thursday night the Nashville Predators paid a visit to the Chicago Blackhawks. Not only did Rinne stop 29 of 31 shots for his 15th win of the season and 356th of his career, but he also chipped in on the offensive side of things as he scored his first career goal in the Preds’ victory.

All of us: #Preds | #NSHvsCHI pic.twitter.com/tleEYoyyKf
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) January 10, 2020

Every goalie dreams of scoring a goal at some point in their career and Rinne’s been trying to score one for a while now, so when his dream came true on Thursday night he tried his best not to overreact.

Pekka Rinne scores a goal. Holy crap. He told me last year this was one of his dreams.
— Paul Skrbina (@PaulSkrbina) January 10, 2020

Pekka Rinne on scoring his first NHL goal: “For sure [it’s a dream come true]. I’m not going to lie... I just threw my hands up in the air and tried to act as cool as I could.” #Preds
— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) January 10, 2020

With the goal, Rinne becomes the first NHL goalie to score a goal since October 19, 2013, when Mike Smith scored against the Detroit Red Wings as a member of the Phoenix Coyotes.