Matthews hits 30-goal plateau for 2nd straight season
Make it 30 for Auston Matthews.
The young Toronto Maple Leafs superstar fired home a wrist shot to give his club a two-goal lead over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, hitting the 30-goal mark for the second time in as many seasons since entering the league.
And the third player in the @MapleLeafs lineup to reach 30 goals is.... @AM34! pic.twitter.com/fbX3kWzXzF
— NHL (@NHL) March 29, 2018
With Matthews' marker, the Maple Leafs became the only NHL team with three 30-goal scorers this season - the others being James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri.
He also etched his name into the team's record books:
Auston Matthews became just the third player in @MapleLeafs franchise history to begin his NHL career (all w/TOR) with consecutive 30-goal seasons. #NHLStats #FLAvsTOR pic.twitter.com/fHBGaLXPMQ
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 29, 2018
As if that wasn't enough, Matthews and Kadri became the first pair of centers in franchise history to both score 30 goals in back-to-back seasons, according to Sportsnet.
But wait, there's more. Including Matthews, only a handful of American-born players have ever potted 30 goals in consecutive campaigns to start their careers:
Only four other U.S.-born players in NHL history have also accomplished the feat:
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 29, 2018
Bobby Carpenter (1981-82 and 1982-83)
Mark Pavelich (1981-82 and 1982-83)
Jimmy Carson (1986-87 and 1987-88)
Tony Amonte (1991-92 and 1992-93)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/u9KStgTnSN
Matthews came into Wednesday's action trailing Van Riemsdyk for the team lead by only five goals despite playing in 19 fewer games due to injuries.
The 20-year-old poured in 40 goals and 69 points in his rookie campaign of 2016-17.