Matthews tallies goal 69 in loss to Red Wings
Published
Auston Matthews is just one goal away.
The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar scored a power-play goal in the second period of Saturday's game against the Detroit Red Wings, his 69th goal of the 2023-24 season.
The Maple Leafs would go on to lose in overtime, 5-4.
Matthews, 26, can became the ninth player in NHL history to record 70 goals in a single season and the first since the 1992-92 campaign when Alexander Mogilny (76) of the Buffalo Sabres and Teemu Selanne (76) of the Winnipeg Jets each accomplished the feat.
Toronto has two games remaining on their regular season schedule, Tuesday against the Panthers and Wednesday against the Lightning, with both games taking place on the road in Florida.
There have been 14 70-goal seasons in league history, with Wayne Gretzky owning four of them, Brett Hull having three and Mario Lemieux doing so twice.
The American centre has scored the most goals in any season since Lemieux posted 69 in 1995-96, a year before Matthews was born.
Matthews has already posted the greatest goal-scoring season in Maple Leafs history and continues to move up the all-time ranks for the franchise. He passed Dave Keon for third on Toronto's all-time goals list Thursday, and his 367 markers now trail only Darryl Sittler (389) and Mats Sundin (420) - both of which could be within reach next season.