Athletistic / Hockey. Early in the morning of February 22 (Moscow time), the Toronto Maple Leafs face the Arizona Coyotes in an NHL regular season away game. After the first period, the score was 3:0 in favor of the Canadian team.
The Leafs’ second goal in this game was scored by forward Auston Matthews. The 26-year-old American scored his 50th goal this season. He became the first hockey player to reach this mark during this campaign. Matthews’ closest competitor in the race for the league’s top scorer title is Florida Panthers forward Sam Rinehart (39 goals).
Note that Matthews simultaneously set a new NHL record, posting the fastest result in scoring 50 goals in a season for an American player. Auston needed 54 matches to reach the mark of 50 accurate shots. The previous record (62 matches) belonged to him and was established during the 2021/2022 season.
Note that in the 21st century, the best record for goals in a season was established by Alexander Ovechkin. In the 2007/2008 season, the Russian scored 65 accurate shots. Matthews is 27 games shy of passing the Washington Capitals captain’s mark.
Source: Sport
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
