The unstoppable Matthews! Toronto star surpasses 50 goals in a season, sets new record

American hockey forward Auston Matthews scored two more goals for Arizona and became the first player to surpass the 50-goal mark this season. In addition, he set a new American record.

Matthews broke the 50-goal mark in 54 games!

In the game between Arizona and Toronto (3:6), Matthews was once again on a tear. Czech goalie Karel Vejmelka will not remember this game in a good way. He scored 30 successful saves, but he capitulated six times in the game and twice from Matthews’ stick.

He scored his 50th and 51st goals of the season in his 54th game this season. He accomplished that feat faster than any other American-born player in NHL history.

In addition, he broke his own record of 50 goals in 62 games, which he achieved in the 2021/22 season. The latter did it in the memorable 1992/93 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Matthews also became the fastest active player to eclipse the 50-goal mark so quickly. Last season, Connor McDavid needed 61 games to do it.

The absolute record in NHL history, however, is still held by Wayne Gretzky, who broke the 50-goal mark in his 39th game of the 1981-82 season.

Matthews broke the 50-goal mark for the second time in the last 3 seasons. He also became only the fourth active hockey player to break the mark at least twice. Moreover, he is not slowing down and it is indeed realistic that he could threaten the 70 goals scored mark in one season.

The 70-goal mark is becoming more and more realistic

The Toronto star already has 6 hat-tricks in the current NHL season, he has scored 9 goals in the last 4 games and the computer simulations speak clearly. Matthews can reach a whopping 76 goals. The last two players to do that were Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilnyj in the 1992/93 season.

The American is clearly on his way to the third Maurice Richard Trophy for the best cannon player. Second in the scorers’ table, Sam Reinhart is already 12 goals behind him.

Source: NHL