Auston Matthews

I didn't think it would ever happen, but with a four-point night over the Blue Jackets, captain Steven Stamkos hit 100 points in the season for the first ...

Pittsburgh and Washington are battling it out for third in their division, as are Tampa and Boston. Those are where the fights are as the end of the week (and season) looms. None of the first round series in the East are decided yet, but most of them are almost there. I mention Matthews for the Hart this year because Stamkos (wrongly) lost the award, finishing right behind Evgeni Malkin who only had 50 goals. On the same night Stamkos hit 100, one of his old records was matched by Arizonan Auston Matthews in what’s probably a Hart Trophy winning season. I was discussing Stamkos with some of my friends, and he’s got to be a lock for the Hall of Fame when it comes time for it, right? Now at 101 points, that’s the fourth most points by a Bolt in a season behind MSL, Lecavalier, and Kucherov in his Hart trophy year.

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 second and the big number 60 came with Toronto on a power play. Brett Hull had three seasons with 70 or more goals and represented the US internationally but he was born in Belleville, Ontario. In doing so, he became the first-ever US-born player to reach the milestone.

Published: Apr. 27, 2022, 6:01 a.m.. Auston Matthews. Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews celebrates after scoring on Detroit Red Wings ...

“It’s a really hard league to score in now,” Gagner said. He’s going to get his looks,” Red Wings forward Sam Gagner said. “We did a pretty good job of keeping ourselves in position to win the hockey game,” Blashill said. You’re coming in playing a team that needs the points. “There’s been more goal scoring this year, so there’s a lot of guys that have produced some pretty high numbers, but 60 is one of those numbers that you never know when you’re going to see it again. “When you become the first Toronto Maple Leaf to score 60 goals, given the level of players they’ve had, the history of great, great players, it’s amazing,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.

What else would we talk about this morning but Auston Matthews scoring his 60th goal of the season last night? First, the goal.

The Nashville Predators finally clinched last night with a point earned on an OT loss. Both teams have two games remaining, so Vegas’ hopes rely on winning both games and Dallas losing both games, otherwise the Western Conference playoff teams are now set. The Marlies start critical back-to-back games against the Rocket tonight. wave to the crowd and a hug for Carlton— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) pic.twitter.com/W0XUwzMiiK April 27, 2022 your first star: Auston "60 goals" Matthews— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) pic.twitter.com/pXZLyFDUMG April 27, 2022 60-goal celly— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) pic.twitter.com/WCwbREi7Hb April 27, 2022

The Maple Leafs star joins Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos as the only players to accomplish the feat in the past 20 years.

60 MORE: Who leads the NHL in points right now? He's well on his way to becoming the greatest Leaf of all time. He's in line to win the Rocket Richard Trophy quite easily, holding a five-goal lead heading into the final three days of the regular season. In this historic 2021-22 season that has seen Matthews already etch himself in Toronto franchise history, he's quickly taking over as the game's most dominant goal scorer. Stamkos was the last player to do so and that came back in 2012.

Toronto superstar becomes the first NHL player to score 60 in a season since Steven Stamkos in the 2011-12 season.

Fans gave Matthews a standing ovation after he scored at the 5:49 mark of the third period. Matthews joins Alex Ovechkin (2007-08) and Steven Stamkos (2011-12) as the third player in the last 25 years to score 60 goals in a season. Maple Leafs fans were over the moon when superstar centre Auston Matthews hit the the historic 60th goal milestone Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings.

On a night when the Leafs secured themselves home ice advantage for the opening round of the playoffs with a win, their star made NHL history.

That’s a franchise record in case you were wondering as the win marks the 30th home victory of the season. The Leafs will know all too well, however, that from here on out the opposition is going to be much tougher. Having seen the lead doubled by Leafs’ captain John Tavares double the lead at 4:03 in the third with his 27th goal of the season, it was time for Matthews to put the cherry on top. On Tuesday night the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews scored his league leading 59th and 60th goals of the season in a 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings, thereby securing home-ice advantage for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. As for the goals themselves, it was teammate Jason Spezza who fed Matthews the puck in front before his hesitation sold the Detroit goaltender and he slid home No. 59, as the fans chanted “M-V-P!” Then came the 60th. “You know the abilities he has, but he works extremely hard at his game, off the ice, he takes his craft very seriously.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 and Jack Campbell had his fifth shut-out of the season. But what really made this game special ...

The Leafs had 70% puck possession in the first period, and the lowest they had all night was 60% in the third. They almost tripled them in dangerous chances *(13-5). Boston can finish with enough points to face the Leafs, if they win both of their last games, and if Tampa fails to win both of theirs in regulation.

Auston Matthews is already making the case to be the best American hockey player of all time. He passed the 60-goal mark yesterday with the Maple Leafs.

Hopefully for Toronto this postseason they can pick up on their successes from the regular season and get out of the first round. Auston Matthews may just be 24 but he is already making a strong case to being one of the best American-born hockey players of all time. Matthews and the Maple Leafs have had a really strong season, one where Matthews definitely has a case to win a lot of hardware thanks to being the MVP of his team all season long.

Toronto superstar becomes the first NHL player to score 60 in a season since Steven Stamkos in the 2011-12 season.

There's something else about Matthews that's been overshadowed by his historic goal run and should stamp his candidacy for the Hart Trophy.

Matthews is unlikely to actually win the Selke this season. “The play with the puck is obviously — you see what they’re capable of,” Jake Muzzin said of Matthews and Marner at one point this season. “But when you get to see him every day, day in and day out, in practice, his shot, his release — it’s pretty impressive. It’s been unreal the way he backchecks and plays in his own end.” He’s hovered around the top 10 in each of the past three seasons, keeping the same company as blue-collar types like Austin Watson, Boone Jenner and Nick Bonino. And his body control is really exceptional.” He also won the league’s defensive player of the year in 1988. The combination of those two predators together is a big part of what’s made the Leafs top line, which also features Calder Trophy candidate Michael Bunting, such a devastating two-way force. It’s at the other end where Matthews really separates himself. Matthews has always excelled in the takeaway department. That’s the No. 1 figure for any NHL forward this season, just outpacing McDavid (3.5). “He’s just got such a strong lower body and strong stick,” Blackwell said.

The ballots for the NHL post-season awards are out, and there are many worthy candidates for the MVP. The case for Matthews is strongest.

It bounced off the floor, and out the plane, skimming through the slimmest of openings and landing on the tarmac outside. If you have a question, email me at [email protected] and I'll answer it in the next Mailbag. This will be the last weekly 13 Musings for a while with the playoffs about to begin. 12. Foibles From the Road: On my trip back from Washington this week, as I boarded the plane, an Air Canada attendant handed me a mask and as I took it, I dropped my passport. And since that 1967 expansion, only the Bruins (47) have been in the playoffs more often. As far as I can, this has never happened to anyone. The Flyers are at 40. The fourth, San Jose's Brent Burns, will have to wait till next year. McDavid is going to win the Art Ross, which probably going to nullify any chance Jonathan Huberdeau had. Tavares also netted the goal that forced overtime in that contest, tying the score with Florida 54 seconds away from forcing Game 7. And it shows the power of good goaltending. Still, scoring is what it's all about, the hardest thing to do in the game. The case for goalie Igor Shesterskin is quite strong.