Leafs' Matthews sets multiple records with 39th goal

by
Timothy T. Ludwig / USA Today Sports

Auston Matthews' impressive debut season just keeps getting better.

The Toronto Maple Leafs rookie roofed a wrist shot against the Buffalo Sabres, giving the Leafs a 2-0 lead early in the first period Monday night.

Matthews' marker was his 39th of the campaign, giving the 19-year-old the most goals ever in a season by a U.S-born rookie, passing Neal Broten's 38 scored in 1981-82.

It also gave Matthews a new franchise record for points by a rookie with 67 and equaled the goal-scoring output Sidney Crosby produced in his first season back in 2005-06.

As if that wasn't enough, Matthews is riding a five-game goal-scoring streak, which ties him for the Leafs' rookie record set by Gayle Stewart in 1942.

Matthews broke Wendel Clark's franchise mark for goals by a rookie with his 35th of the season against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.

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