Matthew Schaefer Makes History With Five Minute Overtime Shift

Historic Shift for the Young Defenseman

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer made league history on Tuesday night. The 19 year old started overtime against the Nashville Predators and stayed on the ice until the clock ran out.

Schaefer became the first skater on record to play all five minutes of an overtime period. The NHL officially started tracking time on ice with real time data in the 2009-10 season.

Dominating the Extra Session

The young defenseman made his presence felt throughout overtime. He generated four shot attempts during those five minutes and drew a tripping penalty against Nashville forward Filip Forsberg.

Schaefer ended the game with 32:16 in total ice time, which set a new career high for him. Earlier in the matchup, he assisted on a second period goal by Bo Horvat.

Islanders coach Pete DeBoer praised his player after the game. "He was all over the ice tonight," DeBoer said. The coach added that Schaefer wants to make a difference every shift and noted his exceptional enthusiasm.

Shootout Victory and Calder Winner

The team finished the night with a 4-3 victory in a shootout. The win gave goaltender Semyon Varlamov his first NHL victory since Nov. 14, 2024.

This historical moment adds to an impressive start for Schaefer in the league. He won the Calder Trophy as the unanimous NHL rookie of the year last season.

What it means for the next game

New York Islanders at Minnesota Wild (NHL, Fri, 30 Oct): Minnesota Wild win 56%, New York Islanders win 44%; projected score Minnesota Wild 3, New York Islanders 2. Our safest pick: Under 7 goals.

Edmonton Oilers at New York Islanders (NHL, Sat, 31 Oct): New York Islanders win 36%, Edmonton Oilers win 64%; projected score New York Islanders 3, Edmonton Oilers 4. Our safest pick: Under 8 goals.