Auston Matthews scored two goals on Tuesday night in his Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The goals were the 59th and 60th of his season.
The American center snapped his season-long goalless drought of five games to become the first player to score 60 in a campaign since Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos did so in the 2011-12 season.
For the first time in 10 years, the NHL has a 60-goal scorer. 🔥@AM34 (59-46—105 in 73 GP) scored his 60th goal of 2021-22 – the only other active players to hit the benchmark: Alex Ovechkin (65 in 2007-08) and Steven Stamkos (60 in 2011-12).#NHLStats: https://t.co/v6eVzaaW4Q pic.twitter.com/YwF2cBbf27
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 27, 2022
Matthews got his first of the night and number 59 in front of the Detroit net via a feed from Jason Spezza. He took the puck from forehand to backhand and slid it past a diving Alex Nedeljkovic.
His second and the big number 60 came with Toronto on a power play. He got it by keeping the puck alive at the blue line before darting to the slot and slinging a wrister top shelf.
In doing so, he became the first-ever US-born player to reach the milestone. Brett Hull had three seasons with 70 or more goals and represented the US internationally but he was born in Belleville, Ontario.
🖐… that's the number of countries with a 60-goal scorer, with @AM34 adding his name as the first U.S.-born player.#NHLStats: https://t.co/v6eVzaaW4Q pic.twitter.com/h0ZdTcus1I
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 27, 2022
The only other active player with 60 goals not named Matthews or Stamkos is some guy named Alex Ovechkin who scored 65 goals during the 2007-08 season with the Washington Capitals.
Elite company. 🤩
Auston Matthews joins Steven Stamkos and Alex Ovechkin as the only 60-goal scorers since 2000. pic.twitter.com/Q0M1s0nxfy
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 27, 2022
