NHL: Connor McDavid fastest with 50 goals since 1995-96

After reaching 100 points this season just 10 days ago, Conor McDavid once again showed he was in a class of his own Monday night against the Boston Bruins. This time, the No. 97 scored 50 for the first time in his career, in his 61st game of the season. McDavid’s finesse wasn’t enough, as the Oilers suffered a 3-2 loss.

McDavid, who started the game with 48 goals and 113 points, hit the goal twice. Thus, he became the NHL player to score 50 goals in one season, the fastest since Mario Lemieux (50 matches), Jaromir Jagr (59 matches) and Alexander Mogilny (60 matches) during the 1995-1996 season.

This is the fourth consecutive game in which McDavid has scored two goals. He also scored two goals against the Blue Jackets, Penguins and Flyers last week. It is the tenth time this season that McDavid has scored at least twice in a single game.

MacDavid wasted no time in approaching that plateau. With just over two minutes left in the game, he took advantage of a long pass from Leon Dricetel to kick home with a fine wrist shot and score his 49th goal of the season.

But Boston secured a response very quickly. Barely 13 seconds after McDavid’s goal, Tomas Nosek took advantage out of the Oilers’ poor territory to tie the game. Bruins newcomers Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway took the opportunity to present their first touchdown passes in their new uniforms.

Then later in the first period, Nick Foligno completed a great passing game with Charlie Coyle to put the Bruins in control with a breakaway goal.

Midway through the second period, McDavid served a succulent fake in front of Jeremy Swayman to reach the prestigious plateau for the first time, for his eighth sweep on the Bettman circuit.

But the tie did not hold until the end of the second half. With 30 seconds left in the first half, Pavel Zacha jumped on a free in the crease and pushed the ball into the net to restore Boston’s lead.

In front of the Bruins goal, Swaiman stopped 22 of 24 shots directed at him to get 15^H season win. At the other end of the arena, Stuart Skinner allowed three goals on 26 shots in the loss.

Thus, the Bruins scored a seventh straight victory. They will try to continue their streak on Tuesday against the flames. Edmonton will try to snap a two-game losing streak on Wednesday against the Maple Leafs.