In a historic game on Tuesday night, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs shattered Alex Ovechkin's long-standing goal-scoring record of the 21st century. The dynamic center scored his 66th goal of the season in a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, securing the new single-season high in goals.

Ovechkin, who previously held the record with 65 goals during the 2007-08 campaign, has been a supportive figure throughout Matthews' pursuit of his record. In February, Ovechkin expressed his desire for Matthews to surpass his achievement, acknowledging the evolution of the game and its higher goal-scoring trends.

Matthews surpassed Ovechkin with a skillful wrist shot against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen, giving the Maple Leafs a 4-2 lead with 12:27 left in the third period. Max Domi provided the primary assist on the historic goal.

The 23-year-old Matthews expressed his honor to be mentioned in the same sentence as Ovechkin, recognizing the latter's immense contributions to the game of hockey. Matthews acknowledged Ovechkin's impact and accomplishments, underscoring the significance of his latest milestone.

With this achievement, Matthews not only surpassed Ovechkin but also became the leading scorer in a single season since Mario Lemieux's remarkable 69-goal season in 1995-96. Matthews also stands out as the sole active NHL player to have recorded 60 goals in multiple seasons, solidifying his reputation as an elite goal scorer.

In the latest game, Matthews tallied two points, extending his point streak to an impressive 12 games with 10 goals and 11 assists. He currently ranks sixth in overall scoring with 104 points, holding a commanding 13-goal lead over Sam Reinhart for the league's goal-scoring title.

Looking ahead, Matthews has his sights set on another significant milestone. He aims to become the first player since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny in the 1992-93 season to reach the illustrious mark of 70 goals in a single season.

Matthews emphasizes the importance of taking each game in stride and not overthinking his pursuit of records. His primary focus remains on contributing to the team's success on both ends of the ice, with a goal of translating his regular-season achievements into postseason success.

As the regular season winds down, Matthews has four remaining games to score the four goals needed to achieve the coveted 70-goal mark. With 18 multi-goal games this season, including six hat tricks, Matthews has showcased his exceptional scoring prowess and now aims to etch his name in NHL history.

Maple Leafs fans and hockey enthusiasts alike eagerly await each game as Matthews continues to make his mark and redefine what is possible in the realm of goal-scoring prowess.