ST. PAUL, Minn. — After the game on Thursday night, Matthew Schaefer’s first comment wasn’t centered on his overtime goal or his impressive three-point performance. He didn’t discuss his lengthy ice time or his matchup against the renowned Quinn Hughes either. Instead, he chose to reflect on a turnover that allowed the Wild to equalize with less than four minutes remaining in regulation.
“That was definitely my mistake there,” he acknowledged. “But, honestly, we learned from it.”
While it’s debatable how much blame he should take, this moment was just one of many that showcased Schaefer’s impact during a standout evening.
The Islanders, down to just five defensemen for most of the match after Ryan Pulock departed with an upper-body injury barely a minute into the game, pulled off a 4-3 victory over the Wild thanks to Schaefer’s overtime heroics. This was undoubtedly their best win in the early part of the season.
“Everyone talks about Schaefer, and he deserves all the praise he gets, but tonight was a team victory,” head coach Pete DeBoer noted. “We had four lines and five defensemen all committed to giving us a chance to win and playing the right way.”
He had a point there.
This game highlighted not just the teamwork, but also Schaefer’s remarkable skills. He was on the ice for nearly half the game, scoring twice and assisting on another goal while consistently winning his shifts against tough opponents.
“When I was 19, I was just a sophomore at Michigan,” Hughes mentioned, having put up two points but still trailing Schaefer’s total. “And Cale [Makar] was a freshman, I can’t quite remember if he stayed one or two more years. Same goes for [Adam] Fox and [Zach] Werenski, all of them were in college while he’s doing this at his age.”
“Clearly, he’s exceptional.”
The admiration from Schaefer’s teammates was equally enthusiastic.
“At least once a period, I find myself cursing on the bench, or even on the ice, just because he’s something special,” Logan Stanley shared.
The collective effort of the team matched Schaefer’s individual brilliance.
The Islanders handled the Wild’s speed well, maintaining good control of the middle and playing smart, physical hockey throughout the game. They didn’t completely silence Minnesota’s stars, yet they kept the game within their rhythms.
“We’ve stressed this since training camp,” DeBoer explained. “When we bring detail to our play and fight hard in critical areas, we give ourselves a shot at winning.”
Heading into the third period tied at two, the Islanders held a 8-3 advantage in high-danger chances at even strength.
They had a chance to regain the lead after successfully killing off their third penalty of the night. A puck battle won by Victor Eklund allowed Adam Pelech to get a shot off that deflected off Michael McCarron and found its way past goaltender Jesper Wallstedt.
The game was far from over, though. As the Islanders began to tire, the sturdiness of their defense wavered, allowing Matt Boldy to score on a rush with just under four minutes left, equalizing the score.
That moment secured the Wild a point, but Schaefer played all of overtime once again. Just 33 seconds into the extra period, he secured the win on a two-on-one break.
A potential concern for the Islanders may be Ilya Sorokin. In his first start since allowing six goals in a previous game—blamed by many on a lack of defensive support—he conceded three goals, some of which could be labeled as soft.
Right at the start, Joel Eriksson Ek scored on Sorokin from a distance. Late in the second, Hughes managed to sneak a backhander past him, tying the game at two. Even Boldy’s tying goal was one Sorokin probably needed to stop, although Schaefer was quick to take the blame for the outcome.
“No one liked the first and second goals,” Sorokin remarked. “However, I tried to keep my focus throughout the game. I’m not thrilled about the late goal, but I appreciated our overtime winner. It was a significant win against a strong opponent.”
