Joe Thornton saved a major milestone for an important moment.
The Sharks center scored his 400th career goal Tuesday night, and gave San Jose a 5-4 win over the visiting Nashville Predators.
Marcus Sorensen entered the offensive zone and hit Thornton with a cross-ice pass that was, well, Thornton-like.
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SIGN UP HERE Thornton scored just 13 seconds after linemate Joe Pavelski tied the score. No. 400, then, was also game-winner No. 63 of Thornton's two-decade career.
Thornton's goal moved him into elite company, too. He became just the 11th player in NHL history to score at least 400 goals and add 1,000 assists, joining the likes of some of hockey's immortals.
Each of those players, save for the 46-year-old (and still-active) Jaromir Jagr, is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. When Thornton finally calls it a career, it's fair to say he'll join them soon after.