High River's Tom Kowal will referee his 1000th NHL game Thursday, January 19, when the Calgary Flames host the Nashville Predators.

Kowal says he wasn't convinced he'd make it this far.

"I don't know, I think when you first start your just hoping to get through the first game, then the first 10, then probably the first year. Probably, hitting a thousand is probably more than I thought I'd get to when I started."

Kowal says he's gotten to know some of the greats in the game, and they've gotten to know him, which he says is pretty special.

He says some highlights have all been firsts.

His first game, his first playoff game in New York and an All-Star Game in Carolina where he got to bring his family.

Kowal who's been officiating NHL games since 1998 says he'll call it a day after next season, his 20th in the league.