He’s already off to an unimaginable begin as an 18-year-old defenseman within the NHL, however on Sunday night, New York Islanders’ rookie Matthew Schaefer set one other historic mark with a two-goal efficiency tying the sport towards the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Schaefer opened the scoring at 5:53 of the primary interval to offer the Islanders a 1-0 lead earlier than the workforce went down 2-1. However with time winding down within the third interval and their internet empty, Schaefer struck once more with simply over a minute left to play giving him his second purpose of the sport, sending it to time beyond regulation and securing his first multi-goal sport within the NHL.
What makes this feat much more spectacular – outdoors of the truth that he’s adapting so effectively to the NHL – is that with the 2 objectives, Schaefer grew to become the youngest defenseman in NHL historical past to report a multi-goal sport passing Bobby Orr‘s mark again on November 23, 1966.
On the time, Orr was simply 18 years and 248 days outdated. Along with his efficiency on Sunday, Schaefer is simply 18 years and 58 days outdated – a mark that will likely be powerful to beat any time quickly.
For Schaefer, although, it wasn’t in regards to the particular person accomplishment. As a substitute he was extra impressed with what his workforce was in a position to do within the last minutes and time beyond regulation to safe the win.
“We actually grinded them on the market,” he said about the team’s comeback win. “That was a giant shift out of the fellows. Wow. I imply, it’s enjoyable hockey to play and enjoyable hockey to observe too, when your workforce goes to work and [gets] a few large objectives there, and, you understand, the final minute. In order that was enjoyable to observe and enjoyable to play.”
The 18-year-old has had an unimaginable opening month to his NHL profession, now with 5 objectives and 10 factors in 12 video games for the Islanders. Not solely does that lead all defensemen in objectives, however his 10 factors is tied for the third-highest amongst defenders league-wide. As for his rookie counterparts, he leads the first-years in objectives and is tied with Ivan Demidov for the general rookie level lead.
Whereas it’s solely 12 video games, it’s a pattern dimension the Islanders and their followers hope that they’ll rely on persevering with all through Schaefer’s first common season within the NHL.
