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Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer ties NHL record amid hot start to rookie season
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- Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer ties NHL record amid hot start to rookie season
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The post Islanders' Matthew Schaefer ties NHL record amid hot start to rookie season appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Like with any first overall pick, there were high expectations around New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer . But the 18-year-old has surpassed every expectation. The Islanders beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Tuesday, partly due to Schaefer's goal and assist, which helped him set an NHL record.
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"Matthew Schaefer ties NHL record for the longest point streak to begin a career by a defenceman at 6 games," Sportsnet Stats posted.
Schaefer's offensive day started with a secondary assist in the first period. He fed Mathew Barzal , who found Bo Horvat for the power-play goal. It was Schaefer's fifth assist of the season, third power-play point, and continued the point streak.
The goal was key, as it tied the game shortly after the Sharks took an early lead. The Islanders have been allowing the first goal of most games so far this season, which is never a trend a team wants to have following them.
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Schaefer also scored the second goal of his young career in the second period of the game. With the Islanders up 3-2, he found the weak spot in the Sharks' defensive zone coverage. When Anthony Duclair came out from behind the net, he found the defenseman wide open. Schaefer did not waste the opportunity.
According to NHL Public Relations, Schaefer is just the ninth rookie in the modern era to record seven or more points in his first six games. The other players on the list are all forwards.
The Islanders won the NHL Draft Lottery after finishing with the tenth-worst record in the league last year. They traded defenseman Noah Dobson and made three first-round picks to kick-start the rebuild. Schaefer is already shining brighter than they ever could have expected at just 18 years old.
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Schaefer looks to continue the point streak as the Islanders face the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.
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