Oct 21, 2025; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) celebrates his purpose in opposition to San Jose Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (30) throughout the second interval at UBS Area. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Penner-Imagn Photos Matthew Schaefer continued the spectacular begin to his NHL profession Tuesday night time, scoring the successful purpose and accumulating two factors to assist the New York Islanders earn a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks in Elmont, N.Y.
Schaefer, an 18-year-old who was the No. 1 total choose within the June draft, has at the least one level in every of his first six video games, tying him with Marek Zidlicky (2003-04) for the longest career-opening streak by a defenseman in NHL historical past.
Bo Horvat, Casey Cizikas and Emil Heineman additionally scored for the Islanders, who’ve gained three straight after shedding their first three video games in regulation. New York goalie Ilya Sorokin made 33 saves.
Collin Graf had a purpose and an help for the Sharks, who remained the NHL’s lone winless workforce at 0-4-2. San Jose has endured a season-opening shedding streak lasting at the least 5 video games in every of the previous 4 years.
Macklin Celebrini — who preceded Schaefer as the highest choose within the 2024 draft — and Adam Gaudette additionally scored for the Sharks. Yaroslav Askarov recorded 23 saves.
The groups mixed for 5 targets in an 11-minute span throughout the first interval. Graf opened the scoring with a short-handed purpose at 8:29 earlier than Horvat collected a power-play purpose 57 seconds later.
Cizikas put the Islanders forward 1:04 later, when he picked off a move by Sam Dickinson within the Sharks’ crease and beat Askarov from point-blank vary.
Dickinson returned the favor with 5:44 remaining within the first. He gloved Cizikas’ chip move to start the sequence that ended with Gaudette going to at least one knee and beating Sorokin with a shot into the wide-open left nook of the web.
Heineman put the Islanders forward for good with 32 seconds left within the interval after jamming house a rebound on the left put up for a power-play purpose.
New York’s Anthony Duclair picked up the rebound of his personal shot and fed Schaefer on the fringe of the crease for the decisive purpose 6:38 into the second.
Celebrini scored from the slot with 9:44 left within the third, however Sorokin preserved the one-goal lead by making two saves after Askarov was pulled with slightly greater than two minutes remaining.
–Subject Stage Media
