Auston Matthews ties Leafs single season goal record with hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Auston Matthews now shares the record for most goals in a single season in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.

Matthews achieved the feat in Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he scored goals number 52, 53, and 54 for a hat trick to tie the franchise record. He also got an assist in the game as the Leafs routed the Lightning 6-2 in their own building.

Matthews shares the record with Rick Vaive, who previously scored 54 goals for the Leafs in the 1981-82 season. Vaive managed to do so in 77 games for the Leafs, while Matthews reached the goal in his 64th game.

Matthews also now a six game goal scoring streak, during which he has scored eight goals. He’s also scored in 12 of his last 13 games, with 17 goals in that span. Still not impressed? If you go back even further into the season, he’s scoring at an almost historic pace, with 47 goals in his last 47 games, very close to that illusive 50 in 50 achievement (although it’s usually only noted if it starts at the beginning of the season).

The Leafs have also benefitted from Matthews hot stretch, as they’ve won their last five games in a row, including wins against divisional rivals in Tampa Bay, the Boston Bruins, and the Florida Panthers. This is the fifth time they’ve won at least five games in a row this season.