Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Achieves Rare Feat in Overtime Stint
Defenseman plays entire three-on-three overtime period, a feat not seen in the NHL for at least 15 seasons.
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer accomplished a rare feat Tuesday night, playing the entirety of a three-on-three overtime period against the Nashville Predators. This marks the first time a player has stayed on the ice for an entire overtime period since at least the 2009-10 NHL season, when such data began to be tracked.
Schaefer, the reigning Calder Trophy winner, was sent onto the ice to start overtime with the game tied 3-3. He remained on the ice for the first half of the extra frame until Nashville's Filip Forsberg drew a penalty, which led to a stoppage in play. Following the timeout, Schaefer continued on the ice for the remainder of the overtime period. This extended shift allowed the Islanders to utilize their power play unit, quarterbacked by Schaefer.
While the Islanders ultimately won the game 4-3 in a shootout, Schaefer logged a total of 32 minutes and 16 seconds of ice time, which was the third-highest single-game total for any player in the league this season as of that date. Schaefer also contributed an assist during the game, bringing his season total to 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in just under a point-per-game pace.