It was December of 2005, just 10 days before Christmas, when a young Finn led his club out onto the ice in Nashville for the first time.
He remembers feeling the nerves, the buzz in the crowd, stopping 35 out of 38 shots the Chicago Blackhawks threw his way - and then it was over. One NHL appearance, one NHL win.
Eleven years, three months and one day later, the netminder led his team to the ice in Washington D.C., and then turned aside 21 of 22 shots in a 2-1 overtime win - in his 500th career game.
"That's a lot of hockey," Pekka Rinne laughed when reflecting on the milestone.
Over 500 Games Down, Pekka Rinne Striving for More
After Reaching the 500-Game Milestone, Nashville's Goaltender Hopes His Best Memories Are Still Ahead
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