Matthews becomes fastest U.S.-born player to score 50 goals in season

Auston Matthews scored his 50th goal of the season Wednesday, accomplishing the feat faster than any other NHL player born in the United States.

Playing his 54th game of the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs center scored a power-play goal at 5:01 of the first period of a 6-3 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona -- near his hometown of Scottsdale -- to set the mark. His wrist shot from the right face-off circle to the short side gave Toronto a 2-0 lead.

He then scored his 51st goal at 16:07 of the second period to give the Maple Leafs a 4-2 lead when the puck deflected in off his shoulder at the right post.

Asked by Sportsnet following the first period what this achievement might mean to young hockey players in Arizona, Matthews said: “I hope it’s something that they can take and maybe be inspired by, encouraged by. Like I said this morning, it doesn’t matter where you’re from if you dream hard enough, work hard enough, you can make those dreams come true. For myself, I just feel very grateful to be in the position I’m in, and whatever I can do to keep that going, I want to do it.”

Matthews broke his own record of 50 goals in 62 games, which was also held by Kevin Stevens of the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Matthews also became the fastest active player in the NHL to hit the mark, breaking the record of 61 games set by Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers last season.

“I was trying to give him the [puck] the whole first three shifts we had together," said linemate Mitchell Marner, who assisted on both of Matthews' goals, "so I'll probably get yelled at for not shooting a couple of those.”

Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record as the fastest player to 50 goals. He did it in 39 games for the Oilers in 1981-82.

Matthews, who grew up a Coyotes fan about 5 miles from the arena in Tempe, reached the 50-goal milestone for the second time in three seasons (60 goals in 2021-22). He is the ninth-fastest player to reach 50 goals over the past 35 seasons and fourth active player with multiple 50-goal seasons, joining Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (nine), Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers (three) and Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning (two).

Matthews’ father, Brian, told Sportsnet of the milestone, “It’s an amazing feeling. … It’s just an electric moment for all of us. We know what he goes through, we know what he does in the summer, we’re just real happy.”

Toronto forward William Nylander said, “It’s very fun for him and the family and friends that he had here, a special, special moment. I mean, it's just incredible.”

The No. 1 pick by Toronto in the 2016 NHL Draft, Matthews has 350 goals in 535 games, an average of 0.65 per game, the seventh-highest in NHL history (minimum 100 games). He has scored at least 34 goals in each of his eight seasons with the Maple Leafs, including at least 40 six times.

The 26-year-old leads the League in goals since entering the NHL and is on pace to score 76 goals this season. There have been 14 seasons of at least 70 goals in NHL history, most recently in 1992-93, when Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each scored 76. Matthews has scored nine goals in his past four games, including a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, and another in a 9-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. He also scored in a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

Matthews, a two-time winner of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer (41 in 2020-21; 60 in 2021-22), has 18 goals in his past 14 games and leads the League with six hat tricks this season. The single-season record is 10, done twice by Gretzky (1981-82, 1983-84).

NHL.com independent correspondent Alan Robinson contributed to this report