The fans have spoken, and Claude Giroux is their man. 

After nearly two months of voting, the Philadelphia Flyers' high-scoring center has been selected as the cover athlete for EA Sports' NHL 13.

 

The announcement was made Wednesday during the live broadcast of the 2012 NHL Awards. 

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Giroux won the honor after beating out Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne in the final, which was decided by less than a one percent margin. It was the slimmest margin of victory in the entire campaign, which lasted from March 29 to June 4.

Nearly 26 million fans voted on NHL.com during the process, with over two million voting in the final matchup alone. It was an excellent turnout in the league's first attempt at a cover vote, and it's no surprise that Giroux emerged as the favorite. 

The 24-year-old had high expectations heading into the season, and he exceeded them all.

He finished first in the NHL in assists (65) and third in points (93), while leading the Flyers to 47 regular-season wins. He also excelled in the playoffs, scoring eight goals and dishing out nine assists in 10 postseason games.

NHL 13 cover seen here.