Matthews scored twice and added an assist Thursday in a 6-5 overtime loss to Columbus.
Matthews is in the midst of a four-game, seven-goal (10-point) scoring streak, and he's on pace for a whopping 69 goals. The last guy to get 69? Mario Lemieux (1995-96). It would be Matthews' second 60-goal campaign and that would put him in heady company. Only eight players in NHL history have hit 60 twice, with Lemieux being the most recent. The others? Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy, Phil Esposito, Brett Hull, Jari Kurri, Pavel Bure and Steve Yzerman. Even if Matthews only manages 40, it would be the sixth time in eight seasons that he's managed that feat. And if Matthews wins the Rocket Richard again -- which he's leading right now -- it would be his third. The only other NHLer in history to win that trophy more than twice is Alex Ovechkin (nine). Matthews is having an epic season, and honestly, his game was just decent until recently. How good can this guy be? Suddenly that question seems rhetorical.