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Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer breaks Sidney Crosby record with OT goal vs. Mammoth
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- Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer breaks Sidney Crosby record with OT goal vs. Mammoth
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The post Islanders' Matthew Schaefer breaks Sidney Crosby record with OT goal vs. Mammoth appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The New York Islanders made Matthew Schaefer the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Ideally, his making an impact in two years would be a success. Doing so in his rookie campaign is preferred, of course, but there's a learning curve. However, the run Schaefer is currently on is the thing teams dream of on draft night.
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Schaefer scored his seventh goal of the season on Friday night against the Utah Mammoth . He ripped a shot off a short pass from Mat Barzal. The puck found its way past Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka to end the contest in overtime.
This goal is another piece of NHL history for the young Islanders defenseman. He becomes the youngest player to score an overtime goal in league history, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. Schaefer (18 years, 70 days old) surpassed future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby (18 years, 101 days) with his marker on Friday night.
The Islanders rookie is having an incredible start to his NHL career. In fact, his seven goals are the most by any defenseman in the NHL this year. Moreover, he is on pace to smash the rookie record for goals. Brian Leetch owns the record with 23 goals, while Schaefer is on pace for 32.
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New York has now won three straight games. At this point, they own the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They are also within striking distance of a Metropolitan Division playoff spot. It's certainly early to be discussing playoffs. But Schaefer's continued impact could have New York surprising teams in 2025-26.
Related: Islanders' Matthew Schaefer drops 'better team' truth bomb after beating Golden Knights
Related: Golden Knights' Bruce Cassidy rips officiating after loss to Islanders
