Matthews sets record with 50th goal, Maple Leafs defeat Coyotes

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Auston Matthews scored twice and became the fastest United States-born player to reach 50 goals in a season, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs hand the Arizona Coyotes their 11th straight loss, 6-3 at Mullett Arena on Wednesday.

William Nylander scored two goals, and Bobby McMann and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs (31-16-8) in their fifth straight win and ninth in 11 games. Mitch Marner had three assists, TJ Brodie and Timothy Liljegren each had two assists, and Ilya Samsonov made 23 saves for his eighth win in nine games. 

Matthews has 51 goals in 54 games and nine in his past four. Matthews (2021-22) and Kevin Stevens (Pittsburgh Penguins, 1992-93) previously held the record for a U.S.-born player with 50 goals in 62 games. 

“I’m very grateful to be in the position I’m in,” said Matthews, who grew up a few miles from Mullett Arena, in Scottsdale. “Whatever I can do to keep that going, I want to do it.”

Matias Maccelli, Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther scored for the Coyotes (23-29-4), who fell behind 3-0 in the first period. Karel Vejmelka made 30 saves in his eighth straight loss. 

“We need to put aside the distraction, the noise and focus on the process of what we have to do [to win],” coach Andre Tourigny said. “Our discipline in the first period cost us the game, basically, and we weren’t able to go toe-to-toe with them.”

Toronto was 2-for-5 with the man-advantage in the first period.

McMann put Toronto in front 1-0 at 1:56 of the first with his seventh goal in five games, tipping in Brodie’s shot from the right point. 

“We're not beating ourselves,” Marner said. “We're making sure we're making the good plays, the right plays. We’ve really done a good job of slowing down transitions and odd-man rushes against us … [and we’ve been] a dangerous team.”

Matthews’ 50th goal increased it to 2-0 on the power play at 5:01. He scored with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle to the short side. 

“I kind of expected him to score 50 today, the way he's been scoring this season,” Liljegren said. “And good for him, probably a lot of family here. A huge moment, and good for him.”

Marner said, “Obviously a special player, and we're lucky to have him. He's in his hometown. A lot of people here, a lot of family, a lot of loved ones. So to get it [his 50th] here, it's pretty special.”

Nylander extended the lead to 3-0 on the power play at 15:27.

Maccelli cut it to 3-1 at 4:28 of the second period, and Hayton pulled Arizona within 3-2 at 5:38 with a redirection for his first goal in eight games since Nov. 16. 

Matthews answered to make it 4-2 at 16:07 when the puck deflected in off his right shoulder at the right post. It was his 51st goal and the 350th of his NHL career.

“Auston’s been doing tremendous things,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said.

Guenther’s power-play goal from the top of the slot cut it to 4-3 with seven seconds left in the period. 

Nylander pushed it to 5-3 on a breakaway at 2:00 of the third period, coming out of the penalty box to score his eighth goal in seven games. 

“That was a tough one that broke our legs,” Tourigny said. “I thought we showed a lot of character in the second (period), but that was a killer goal.”

Tavares scored at 8:24 for the 6-3 final. 

“It’s a small step in a long season but … it was a good effort throughout the lineup, everybody contributing and just really solid efforts all around,” Matthews said, “so we'll take the two points.”

NOTES: Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record as the fastest player to 50 goals in a season, doing it in 39 games for the Edmonton Oilers in 1981-82. … The Maple Leafs had lost four straight to Arizona. … Nylander has nine points (six goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak. … Matthews has 11 goals in his past seven games. … Marner has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) during an eight-game point streak. … McMann has four goals in his past three games and seven in his past five. … The Coyotes haven’t won since defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on Jan. 22.