Vlasic breaks Giordano's shot-blocking record

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has broken the NHL shot-blocking record, surpassing the mark set by Mark Giordano.

Vlasic's third blocked shot Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres was No. 2,165 for his career.

“That’s a lot of blocked shots,” he said. “It’s pretty cool. I take pride in playing good defensively.”

Giordano blocked 2,164 shots while playing for Calgary, Seattle and Toronto from 2006 through last season. He won the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman in 2019.

The NHL started tracking blocked shots during the 2005-06 season.

Vlasic made his debut with San Jose the following season. The 37-year-old Canadian has spent his entire career with the Sharks, never shying away from one of the most painful parts of the game.

“When it’s your turn to block, you block it,” he said. “I’ll step in front of any puck I need to to make sure it doesn’t get to the goalie."

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