Three players have scored 50 goals in the 2023-24 National Hockey League regular season. Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews of San Ramon, California already has 58 goals this season, and is now joined by Edmonton Oilers left winger Zach Hyman of Toronto, Ontario and Florida Panthers centre Sam Reinhart of West Vancouver, British Columbia.
Hyman and Reinhart both accomplished the feat on Sunday, March 24. It was the first time in the careers of Hyman and Reinhart that they scored 50 goals in a season, and was only the third time in NHL history that two players scored 50 goals on the same day for their first time in their careers on the same date. Hyman scored his 50th in a 5-3 Oilers loss to the Ottawa Senators. Meanwhile, Reinhart scored his 50th in a 4-1 Florida Panthers win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Reinhart’s 50th goal was into an empty net from Eetu Luostrainen of Siilinjarvi, Finland with one minute and 12 seconds left in the third period. It was one of two goals scored by Reinhart in the game as he opened the scoring from Anton Lundell of Espoo, Finland and defenseman Brandon Montour of Brantford, Ontario at 10:34 of the first period.
What were the two prior occasions?
The first time two players who scored 50 goals in a season for the first time in their careers on the same date was April 3, 1976. Pittsburgh Penguins centre Pierre Larouche of Taschereau, Quebec scored his 50th goal as part of a two-goal game in a 5-4 Penguins loss to the Washington Capitals. He scored from defenseman Ron Stackhouse of Haliburton, Ontario and Rick Kehoe of Windsor, Ontario. Also on the same date, Bill Barber of Callander, Ontario scored his 50th goal from Bobby Clarke of Flin Flon, Manitoba in a 5-2 Philadelphia Flyers win over the Buffalo Sabres.
The second time two players who scored 50 goals in a season for the first time in their careers on the same date was April 3, 1988. Hakan Loob of Karlstad, Sweden scored his 50th from defensemen Gary Suter of Madison, Wisconsin and Al MacInnis of Inverness, Nova Scotia in a 4-1 Calgary Flames win over the Minnesota Wild, and Stephane Richer of Ripon, Quebec scored his 50th from Bobby Smith of North Sydney, Nova Scotia and Gilles Thibaudau of Montreal, Quebec in a 4-4 tie between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
