Schaefer scores in overtime as Islanders top Wild 4-3
The 19-year-old defenseman scored 33 seconds into extra time, giving him two goals in the game and setting an NHL record.
By Daniel Rogers ·
Matthew Schaefer put away the game 33 seconds into overtime, lifting the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena. The 19-year-old defenseman also scored in the first period and added an assist, finishing with six shots in 30:01 of ice time. His overtime goal made him the first teenage defenseman in NHL history to record three career overtime goals.
Schaefer's first goal came at 16:36 of the opening period. He gathered a rebound off Emil Heineman's shot from the right circle and fired it from the left circle to tie the game at 1-1. The goal stretched his point streak to six games, matching a career high from his rookie season. He now sits sixth in NHL history for points by a teenage defenseman with 71, and he is tied for second in Islanders history for goals by a teenager with 26.
New York dropped to 7-4-2 with the win, which came on the final stop of a 2-1-0 Western Conference trip. Minnesota, now 9-3-3, lost for the first time at home this season. The Islanders fell behind 27 seconds into the game when Joel Eriksson Ek beat Ilya Sorokin past his glove. Sorokin finished with 22 saves.
The Islanders were down to five defensemen for most of the night after Ryan Pulock left at 2:57 of the first period with an upper-body injury. Pulock took a check from Blake Coleman 44 seconds into the game, grabbed at his left shoulder, played one more shift and exited. Alexander Romanov is already out for the season with a right knee injury. The Islanders killed all three Minnesota power plays and went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.
Bo Horvat put New York ahead 2-1 at 1:41 of the second period on a power-play goal, redirecting Simon Holmstrom's shot from the high slot. Quinn Hughes tied it at 2-2 at 17:21, and Adam Pelech made it 3-2 at 7:14 of the third on a wrist shot that deflected off Michael McCarron. Matt Boldy answered at 16:07 to force overtime.
Schaefer kept the puck on a two-on-one rush before scoring the winner. "I wanted it really for bad for [Ilya] Sorokin and our team because they got that goal late and that's obviously my fault there," Schaefer said. "A big win against a big team, keep it rolling." Coach Pete DeBoer called it "maybe our most complete game of the year." According to NaturalStatTrick.com, New York generated 11 high-danger chances at five-on-five while holding Minnesota to five.
Source: Newsday
