New York Islanders
Starter
Islanders 4, Sharks 3: Schaefer’s first 1st star
Source: https://www.lighthousehockey.com/game-recaps/42986/islanders-4-sharks-3-schaefers-first-1st-star
The Islanders established a three-game win streak and upended their 0-3 start with a 4-3 win over the winless San Jose Sharks Tuesday in Elmont.
Mathew Schaefer continued his now six-game points streak to start his career with his first two-point game, a goal and an assist earning him his first first star nod. In the post-game, rinkside interview that comes with that honor, he basically turned every question into a chance to praise, thank and whip up the home fans. The kid is living the dream, and he’s a hype man already endearing himself to all of Long Island.
[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]
The game started a little…icky. The Isles were uneven in the beginning and then conceded a shorthanded goal on their first power play, though they later converted on that power play with lovely interplay between Schaefer, Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat. Casey Cizikas added his first just a minute later, but San Jose tied it four minutes after that.
Emil Heineman had the last laugh of the period, scoring with 32 seconds left to make the Isles power play 2 for 2 and give them a 3-2 lead heading into intermission.
Schaefer scored his goal after what will surely become a trademark jailbreak race up ice with Barzal. That gained the zone and disrupted the Sharks coverage, then Schaefer hung around the net to convert after Anthony Duclair dug it from below the goal line and fed the 18-year-old.
The Isles played a smart third but would give up one to Macklin Celebrini on a nice setup and sizzling shot from the slot. That made the final 10 minutes and the 6-on-5 time interesting — Barzal and Anders Lee each just barely missed on rink-length empty net tries. Ilya Sorokin made some great positional saves on one-timers to preserve the lead.
And somehow, the Isles are back to .500, and their co-leading scorer is an 18-year-old who played less than two dozen organized games of hockey last year.
Bright Spots
- Anytime Barzal and Schaefer are on the ice together, it’s…it’s good fun.
- The line of Anders Lee, J-G Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, put together later in the game, displayed several wise “this is why we’re here and this is the game situation” shifts. They didn’t go into a shell; they did burn clock in the offensive zone while keeping an eye out for scoring opportunities that, if missed, would not burn them.
- Holmstrom had a decent bounce-back game overall, and his shorthanded breakaway — stopped with a big stretch by Yaroslav Askarov — would have all but iced the game.
- Sorokin still isn’t dealing complete game shutouts or the like, but he is making some outstanding saves in crunch time.
- Could the power play be functional? Having a handsy and decisive kid who doesn’t know we’re supposed to suck certainly helps.
- Matthew. Freaking. Schaefer. Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap.
Bleak Spots
- It’s still just the Sharks.
- In his return to the lineup, Max Tsyplakov was allotted a whole 6:36. (Cizikas didn’t get much more, at just over 7 minutes.)
- Two penalties for Scott Mayfield, neither of them really great! The second came right after the Sharks had pulled within one goal in the third, with Will Smith bearing down him and drawing a trip.
Up Next
David Rittich will get the start Thursday against the very hot Red Wings, who should pose a slightly greater challenge than the teal-men.
Source: https://www.lighthousehockey.com/game-recaps/42986/islanders-4-sharks-3-schaefers-first-1st-star