The young defender Matthew Schaefer will never forget his first goal in the NHL. The 18-year-old player, selected as the first overall pick in this year’s draft, dove headfirst to score a memorable goal. Schaefer took advantage of a loose puck after a confusing play in front of the net and, with a bold move, managed to send it past the Washington Capitals’ goalie, Logan Thompson, at 4:28 of the third period, in the Islanders’ 4-2 loss on Saturday night.
It’s incredible, I love these fans. Hearing your name chanted there is amazing, it feels like home for sure. We want to win for the fans and we want to be there every night for them. They come out every night for us.
Matthew Schaefer
Although the goal reduced Washington’s lead, the Islanders failed to come back and suffered their second loss of the season, remaining with a 0-2 record.
Despite the defeat, this was a crucial moment for the rookie, who managed to make the team after training camp, only months after being the first pick in the draft held in Los Angeles.Schaefer’s performance has already earned the full confidence of the coaching staff. After getting an assist for his first point in the NHL, playing 17:15 minutes in the Islanders’ 4-3 opening loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday, he had a playing time of 26:04 minutes, the highest of the match. Islanders coach Patrick Roy commented on Schaefer’s workload:To be honest, he dominated the game. He was our best player tonight. He was on the move, obviously contributing. He is very effective. He feels more and more comfortable in each game. He is a special player, we are lucky to have him.
Bo Horvat
Schaefer, only 18 years old, demonstrated with his first goal why the Islanders have high expectations for the future.I’m not balancing anything right now with the way he’s playing. He forced me to play him, he forced us to play him, so we’re going to give him some.
Patrick Roy
