Matthews' teammates are rallying around the player as each goal sets a brand new franchise record.

Auston Matthews just can't stop scoring.

The Toronto Maple Leafs star recorded his 63rd goal of the season in the first period in the team's 4-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.

Matthews scored just three seconds into the Leafs' power play when he wired a one-timer from the point that went off the post and into the net.

"He's a special player. He can score in any way," Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll said of Matthews' one-timer. "I think it's just one of the many things he's able to do and it's on display tonight."

Matthews restored his goal-scoring pace to 70 goals by setting a new Maple Leafs franchise record with his 63rd. A few days ago, Ryan Reaves felt that 80 goals was still possible and wasn't ready to dismiss it even though Matthews would need 17 goals over the last seven games of the season to do it.

"I wouldn't count him out yet," Reaves said with a smile. "It's been unbelievable all year. It's fun to watch, you're watching history, you're watching Maple Leaf history. We rally behind him and hope he keeps going and definitely hope he carries it into the postseason."

Matthews has not indulged when talking about his own individual goal-scoring ability but was also asked about what it means to have the support of his teammates who are so invested in seeing the player try to hit 70.

"Well, it's a team game, right? It means a lot," Matthews said. "These guys, you go to battle with them every day and every night and it's all, we're doing this as a group and doing this together so that's really the mindset. We're just trying to win games."

No player has scored 70 in an NHL season since 1992-93 when Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny each recorded 76 goals. Matthews broke the original goal-scoring record held by Rick Vaive (54 goals) in the 2021-22 NHL season. He's the only active NHL player to score 60 goals in multiple seasons. 

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