"They spotted the Capitals four goals and lost, 4-2, on Saturday night in their home opener at UBS Arena. But Schaefer was electric in a way few 18-year-olds are capable of being in the NHL, scoring his first career goal, leading the Islanders with 26:04 of ice time, taking a game-high eight shots and having another five attempts blocked as he was elevated to the top power-play unit."
""He's so good, he was our best player out there tonight," coach Patrick Roy said. "He forced me to play him." Schaefer halved the deficit at 4:28 of the third period by diving toward a wild scramble at the crease and pushing the puck underneath the pile. He celebrated with a joyous leap into the glass and a lap around the ice as the sellout crowd of 17,255 chanted his name."
""It's unbelievable," Kyle Palmieri said. "He's an energetic 18-year-old kid. As a group, he makes us a better hockey team, and that's all you can ask for from a teammate and a player. But to ask too much of an 18-year-old, we don't want to do that. But he's been a sparkplug for us and it's been a pleasure watching him.""
The New York Islanders lost 4-2 to the Washington Capitals in their UBS Arena home opener after falling behind by four goals. Matthew Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick, scored his first NHL goal, led the team with 26:04 of ice time, took eight shots and had five attempts blocked while earning a top power-play role. Coach Patrick Roy called Schaefer the team's best player and elevated him into the lineup. The goal withstood a lengthy review. The Islanders struggled with turnovers and missed shooting chances before a late third-period push. Home opener record at UBS Arena stands at 1-3-1.
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