pittsburgh– Matthew Schaefer PPG jumped onto the dark ice at Paints Arena and, with New York Islanders TeamMite Maxim ShabanovTook the traditional single lap that every player does before his NHL debut.
It’s the only time the 18-year-old Schaefer looked like a rookie all night New York lost 4-3 To pittsburgh,
Confident and poised from the start, the top pick in the June draft wasted little time in showing why the Islanders wanted him after balls were thrown his way during the draft lottery.
Schaefer needed all of 12 minutes to score the first points of his career, delivering a deft pass from the half-wall. Jonathan Drouin In the slot. Drouin’s knuckles cracked by Penguins goaltender tristan jerry To pull New York as well.
“Our team is very easy to play with, everyone is in the right place,” Schaefer said with a shrug. “I found [Drouin] There, and it was an easy pass for him and of course he put it in the back of the net.”
Islanders coach Patrick Roy didn’t hesitate to turn to Schaefer, who played more than seven minutes in the opening period alone. Schaefer finished with 17:15 of total ice time, including a couple of late emptyings of the New York net as the Islanders tried to tie it.
Roy said of Schaefer, “I thought he was really good.” “He was good at the end. Throwing the puck on net. I thought he looked very comfortable out there, very confident. So I’m very happy with him.”
Schaefer, who had about 30 friends and family in attendance, admitted there was some nervousness during his first two innings, but he wasn’t exactly under the direction of the Penguins icon. Sidney Crosby, evgeni malkin And chris letangThe club’s Big Three are entering their 20th season playing each other, a streak that began before Schaefer was born.
Although Schaefer is not entering the league with the same outside expectations that Crosby was held to two decades ago – when Crosby himself came into the league as the top pick in the draft at age 18 – Schaefer understands how important his arrival and development has been to a team that has not won a Stanley Cup in more than 40 years.
Yes, it’s good that he made the club from training camp barely a month after turning 18. He’s not here to sell tickets and generate interest, but to help the Islanders take a step up in the competitive Metropolitan Division as soon as possible.
He was almost breathless as he talked after becoming the second-youngest NHL defenseman to debut at 70, but Schaefer wasn’t as interested in trying to put the moment in perspective as he was in regretting the outcome.
The Islanders controlled the game for long periods and forced 38 shots on goal. Save for a few costly breakdowns in front of their own net — which allowed Malkin and Crosby to work their magic — the Islanders played with a pace and purpose that they hope will offer a blueprint for what’s to come, including the new kid on the block.
Schaefer said, “I thought we’d bring it tonight.” “I wish we could have won. Hate to lose. Now we know that and we’ll learn from it and focus on our next game. But I thought it was a great first game for us. I just want us to win.”
