Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings became the 91st player in National Hockey League history to record 1000 regular season career points on Wednesday. Kopitar accomplished the feat in a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena in Glendale, AZ.
Kopitar recorded his 1000th National Hockey League point with an assist on an empty-net goal by Sean Walker of Keswick, Ontario. It was Kopitar’s only point of the game and came with 37 seconds left in the third period to close out the scoring and put the Kings up 4-2.
Kopitar, a native of Jesenice, Slovenia, is the first player this season to record 1000 points in his NHL career. He also becomes the third player in the history of the Los Angeles Kings franchise to record 1000 points while as a member of the Kings. Marcel Dionne of Drummondville, Quebec picked up his 1000th point on January 7, 1981, in a 5-3 Kings win over the Hartford Whalers. Meanwhile, Dave Taylor of Onaping Falls, Ontario picked up his 1000th point in a 3-2 Kings win over the Philadelphia Flyers on February 5, 1991. Dionne and Taylor each had multi-point games. Dionne had two goals and one assist for three points, while Taylor had two assists.
Like Taylor, all of Kopitar’s 1000 points have come as a member of the Kings. In 1124 regular season games, Kopitar has 346 goals and 654 assists for 1000 points. In 51 games this season, Kopitar has 13 goals and 57 assists for 50 points. He is a -2 with 10 penalty minutes, 23 power-play points, four game-winning goals, 113 shots on goal, 605 faceoff wins, 35 blocked shots, 39 hits, 10 takeaways, and 33 giveaways.
The 33-year-old two-time Selke Trophy winner is part of a Kings team that is rebuilding, but whose future is becoming bright. Of their five games left this season, four are against the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings also have one more game left against the St. Louis Blues.
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