An airtight penalty kill also can be a confidence-booster. The Islanders went 4-for-4, allowing the Blue Jackets five shots on the man advantage. Three of the penalties came in the second period, sapping the Islanders’ first-period momentum.

Rookie Matthew Schaefer and Simon Holmstrom in the final minutes on Sunday, helping the Islanders rally for a 3-2 win.

Two goals from Matthew Schaefer, the second tying the game at two with under a minute to go, helped the Islanders to a stunning 3-2 comeback win over the Blue Jackets on Sunday night at UBS, as Simon Holmstrom potted the winner with 37 seconds to go.

October really flew by, didn’t it? We knew the Calder Trophy race would be a doozy, and it sure has lived up to expectations. The reigning No. 1 draft pick, Matthew Schaefer, didn’t play a meaningful game of any kind in 2025 before making his debut with the New York Islanders.

BOSTON — Two of the Islanders’ six defensemen were again rookies on Tuesday night against the Bruins at TD Garden with Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren playing in his second NHL game and No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer already the team’s most dynamic blue-liner.

After a sloppy first period in which a pair of power-play goals let them overcome a messy 20 minutes, the Isles took a 4-2 lead into the third after Schaefer put in Anthony Duclair’s feed from behind the net at 6:38 of the second.

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who topped rookie blueliners and ranked third among all rookies with 3-5—8 in 11 games, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for October. Schaefer,

Much of the talk so far for the Islanders has been the play of rookie Matthew Schaefer, but the entire team has contributed to the team’s solid start.