Cole Caufield is a 50-goal scorer - the first for the Montreal Canadiens in 36 years.
Caufield beat Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy with a wrist shot at 6:29 of the second period to reach the half-century milestone Thursday, giving the Canadiens a 1-0 lead and sending a frenzied Bell Centre crowd to its feet.
The 25-year-old American is the seventh player in the Canadiens' 116-year history to score 50 goals in a single season, joining Stephane Richer, Guy Lafleur, Pierre Larouche, Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion and Maurice Richard.
Richer was the last to do it, hitting 50 for the second time on March 24, 1990, against the since-relocated Hartford Whalers.
Caufield moved one goal behind Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead. The Avalanche faced the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
The pressure had been building since his 48th and 49th goals last Thursday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, with Caufield going scoreless in three straight games.