Auston Matthews is edging closer to the coveted 70-goal mark, a milestone only eight players in NHL history have reached. However, the star forward is trying to stay focused on his game and not let the pressure get to him.
Matthews netted his league-leading 66th goal, extending his goal streak to six games and his point streak to twelve, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. This win ended the Devils’ playoff hopes.
“I think the process is the same every night,” Matthews, 26, remarked. “When you overthink it and want it too much, it tends not to go your way. So, I try to approach each game the same and focus on doing the right things for myself and the team.”
The Maple Leafs broke the game open late in the second period when Mark Giordano and Tyler Bertuzzi scored within nine seconds, giving Toronto a 3-2 lead.
Nicholas Robertson also found the back of the net, and Joseph Woll made 18 saves for Toronto, which now has 101 points with four games left in the regular season.
“For us, it’s about coming together and maintaining consistency as we prepare for the playoffs,” said Bertuzzi, who also added an empty-net goal for his 21st of the season. “We need to play these last four games with a playoff mindset.”
Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer scored for New Jersey, while Jake Allen made 32 saves.
“I think they’ve played hard,” said Devils interim coach Travis Green about his team. “We’ve been in many close games and haven’t always gotten the results we deserved.”
Matthews’ 66th goal came on a shot from the circle that beat Allen at 7:33 of the final period. His 66 goals are the most in a season among active players, surpassing Alex Ovechkin’s 65 goals from the 2007-08 season.
“Watching him play, the number of shots and their quality is special,” said Mercer, who picked up his 20th goal of the season in the game. “It’s impressive to see someone in the league do that, especially since it hasn’t happened in so many years.”
After Mercer gave the Devils a 2-1 lead early in the second period on a power play, Allen kept New Jersey ahead until Bertuzzi scored off a cross-ice pass from Max Domi. Giordano then quickly added another shot from the point.
70 Goals in a Season
Eight players have scored 70 goals in a regular season, led by Wayne Gretzky, who did it four times, with his 92 goals in the 1981-82 season being the league record. Others who have achieved this feat include Brett Hull (three times), Mario Lemieux (twice), Alexander Mogilny, Phil Esposito, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, and Bernie Nicholls.
UP NEXT:
- Maple Leafs: Host the Devils on Thursday night.
- Devils: At Toronto on Thursday night.
