DETROIT — Patrick Kane became the 50th player in NHL history to reach 500 goals, scoring his second goal of the game into an empty net with 3:53 left to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 on Thursday night.
“I’m just kind of relieved to get it over with, to be honest with you,” Kane said. “It’s still a really cool feeling, obviously.”
The 37-year-old Kane is the fifth U.S.-born player to reach the milestone, following Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538), Jeremy Roenick (513) and Joe Mullen (502). Brett Hull, a dual citizen who was born in Canada and played internationally for the United States, had 741 goals.
Kane opened the scoring on a two-man advantage with 29 seconds left in the first period. He snapped a shot to the short side over goalie Kevin Lankinen’s leg pad.
“Might as well get it tonight and get it over with,” Kane said after the first period on the Red Wings’ broadcast.
He did at the end with Lankinen off for an extra attacker.
“I’m not usually on the ice when the net is empty,” Kane said. “It was nice to get that opportunity and then hear the crowd erupt a little when I got on the ice was pretty cool. And then, obviously, getting the puck right away and having a chance to put it in the net for 500 was a great feeling.”
Kane has 1,369 points, five behind Modano for the U.S.-born mark. Left off the U.S. Olympic team, Kane has eight goals in 30 games this season. He has missed 15 games because of injuries.
He is also the sixth player to reach 500 goals with the Red Wings, joining Gordie Howe, Dino Ciccarelli, Steve Yzerman, Pat Verbeek and Brendan Shanahan.
