54 and counting: Matthews ties Vaive for Maple Leafs single-season goal record

By Lucas Casaletto

Auston Matthews is one step closer to etching his name in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ record books.

The immensely talented star recorded his seventh career hat trick in Monday’s 6-2 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring his 52nd, 53rd and 54th goals, tying former Maple Leafs’ winger Rick Vaive for the Leafs’ single-season record.

Matthews entered the game one back of Vaive’s 52 goals scored from the 1983-84 season and two back of Dave Andreychuk’s 53 goals, set in 1993-94.

Vaive scored over 50 goals in three-straight seasons with the Maple Leafs from 1981 to 1984.

Matthews now has 13 games to score one goal and break the record. I say he does it.

“Impressive for sure, but I won’t be going on the road,” Vaive texted, according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. “I will see him when they get back.”

Matthews has goals in six-straight games and 47 goals in his past 47 games.

Lightning head coach willfully praised the Maple Leafs sniper before Monday’s game, saying Matthews has what it takes to take the league by storm.

“When you have that arsenal of weapons he has, and the way he shoots, I wouldn’t be surprised if some time in his career he gets 70,” head coach Jon Cooper said. “That’s how good of a scorer he is.”

Maple Leafs head coach, Sheldon Keefe, acknowledges a number so outrageous is within the realm of possibility.

“I just don’t think you could ever put any sort of limitations on someone like him, with the ability that he has and the drive that he has,” Keefe said.

“It’s pretty rare to reach those [numbers], especially in this era. But there’s no limit on what someone like him can do because he’s extremely driven and very talented and just seems to continue to get better.”

Single-season goal records aside, the Maple Leafs picked up a crucial win and two points against the Lightning, who entered the game in a two-way tie with Toronto in second place with 93 points in the Atlantic Division.

The win gives the Leafs some temporary breathing room ahead of a matchup with the first-place Florida Panthers on Tuesday. The Bruins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime earlier on the night and, with Tampa Bay’s loss, tied the Bolts with 93 points for third in the division.

Matthews and winger Mitch Marner finished the night with four points each, while Michael Bunting added two assists. Marner, Pierre Engvall and Alex Kerfoot added the other goals for Toronto.

The win was also vital for goalie Jack Campbell, who was in fine form on Monday after returning from a rib injury earlier this week.


With files from Sportsnet’s Luke Fox

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