Win number 500 continues to elude Martin Brodeur. In spite of a stellar performance from Brodeur, the New Jersey Devils lost 1-0 to the New York Islanders. It is interesting how much harder it seems to be reaching that milestone the closer you get, especially when you're just one point or one game away. Of course, reaching 500 career wins is no small task, Brodeur will join Patrick Roy as only the second goalie in NHL history to pass the mark, but with the growing pressure from the surrounding media-hype that last little step has a tendency to become a giant hurdle.
In the 1980-81 season with the Calgary Flames, centre Kent Nilsson was just one goal shy of the 50-goal mark with ten games left. What seemed like a sure thing, turned to nothing as Nilsson failed to score that one goal he needed to reach the mark.
Martin Brodeur will of course get his 500th win eventually and make history. But if he can somehow manage to get his focus away from the 500 mark, it will come sooner rather than later. For both his sake and the New Jersey Devils.
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