CNN
—
Vegas Golden Knights star Phil Kessel has damaged the Nationwide Hockey League (NHL) ‘ironman’ file after he performed his 990th consecutive recreation on Tuesday.
In taking to the ice towards the San Jose Sharks, Kessel surpassed the earlier mark set by the Philadelphia Flyers’ Keith Yandle final season.
Kessel, 35, began his spectacular streak on November 3, 2009, when he made his debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He had began that season by lacking 12 video games as he recovered from shoulder surgical procedure and had beforehand fought again from a most cancers analysis when he was simply 19 years outdated.
Not content material with the ‘ironman’ title, Kessel celebrated his record-breaking achievement by scoring his four-hundredth profession aim as his staff beat the Sharks 4-2.
“It’s a cool factor. It means I performed loads of video games, proper? It’s neat,” an understated Kessel informed reporters when he initially tied the file on Monday. “I’ve been lucky.”
He added: “I prefer to play, I take pleasure in going on the market. I’ve been doing it a very long time and it’s nonetheless enjoyable to me.”
The American has not missed a recreation for nearly 13 years, together with 12 full seasons within the NFL.
It’s a profession that has seen him play for the Boston Bruins, the Maple Leafs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Arizona Coyotes and, most not too long ago, the Golden Knights.
Kessel was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins, profitable consecutive titles in 2016 and 2017.
Yandle, who set the earlier file in January, has since retired from the game however had a video message for Kessel.
“To play in even one NHL recreation is a exceptional achievement however to play in each recreation going again 13 years takes unbelievable expertise to remain within the line-up day in and time out, great willpower to play by means of aches and pains, and a complete lot of luck,” he mentioned.
Ten extra and Kessel will change into the primary participant to characteristic in 1000 consecutive video games, however he’s actually not getting carried away.
“There may be clearly loads of luck. There are some nights you would have missed all through the time, however I ended up not,” he informed reporters.
