Schaefer Ties NHL Rookie D Goal Record in Islanders' 5-3 Win

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer tied the NHL record for most goals by a first-year player at his position with his 23rd tally of the season, powering his team to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.

Schaefer's milestone goal came at 9:39 of the second period, a wrist shot from the left circle that slipped through the legs of Toronto goaltender Artur Akhtyamov following a pass from teammate Tony DeAngelo. The score gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead and capped a dominant performance in Peter DeBoer's debut behind the bench. DeBoer, an 18-year coaching veteran previously with the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars, was hired on Sunday after the Islanders dismissed Patrick Roy following a stretch in which the team lost seven of 10 games.

The Islanders, who improved to 43-31-5 with 91 points, snapped a four-game losing streak that had jeopardized their playoff hopes. They remain three points behind Ottawa for the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot with three games left in the regular season. New York outshot Toronto 44-15, showcasing control throughout. Ilya Sorokin made 13 saves in net for the win.