Anaheim Ducks' Teemu Selanne overtakes childhood idol Jari Kurri on All-Time Scoring List -NHL
Despite the Anaheim Ducks still being below the playoff divisional line with less than a month remaining before the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs are set to begin, the Finnish flash, Teemu Selanne, continues to roll as he overtook childhood
idol, Jari Kurri, for the 19th number spot on the league’s all-time scoring list.
"I couldn't be more proud that Teemu is the all-time top NHL scorer from Finland. Congratulations to a great player, a great friend and an even better person," Kurri said in a statement.
At 41-year-old, Teemu Selanne continues to set standards for other players in the North American major league and with this potentially being his last season in the NHL, the veteran right winger is working hard for the prize.
Anaheim Ducks struggled since the start of the 2011-2012 NHL regular season and are continuing to do so, now having lost three in a row.
Selanne passed NHL legend, Jari Kurri when he scored a third period goal to keep Anaheim alive in their Monday night matchup against Colorado Avalanche on March 12, 2012, forcing an overtime extension. He took the match into overtime for Anaheim but Ducks
fell to the Avalanche as Gabriel Landeskog potted the game-winner.
"We can't lose any games," Selanne said. "I felt this game was in our control. I thought we were the better team, but that doesn't mean anything. The goals matter. What are you going to do?"
At the start of the night, both Selanne and Kurri were tied with 1,398 career points throughout their time in the NHL but the formers third period goal raised that one point further to overtake the 19th number spot on the list.
Seeing where his team is currently situated in the Western Conference, Selanne does not feel right to celebrate and takes it rather as something to motivate them in upcoming matchups.
"It's just a number anyway. Obviously it's a big honour, but it's very disappointing," Selanne said.
Anaheim needs to continue winning if their looking to make the playoffs this time around and by the way Selanne has been playing, it does not look as much of a distant dream as it once did.
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