Matthew Schaefer already is the home favorite at UBS Arena, and he rewards fans with first NHL goal
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders is introduced prior to the game against the Washington Capitals at UBS Arena on Saturday. Credit: Getty Images
Someday, perhaps, UBS Arena will be full of replica No. 48 Islanders jerseys. That is for Matthew Schaefer and the hockey gods to determine in the coming months and years.
But there were more than a few early adopters on Saturday night among the usual No. 13, No. 30 and assorted other jerseys when the defenseman made his regular-season home debut.
One onlooker particularly appreciated it.
“I paid people to wear them,” Matthew’s father, Todd, joked as the Islanders and Capitals came out for warmups.
Seriously, though . . .
“It’s exciting,” the elder Schaefer told Newsday. “It’s surreal. This is all he’s ever wanted as a kid, and I’m proud of him and happy that his dreams are coming true.
“It’s just great to be here. Long Island fans have been amazing, so amazing.”
Soon, Schaefer the Younger would return the favor. The Islanders lost, 4-2, but most fans likely left happy to have a story to tell about the history they witnessed.
As coach Patrick Roy himself said, Schaefer “was our best player out there tonight,” including his first NHL goal.
It came on a power play at 4:28 of the third period and got the Islanders within 4-2.
With the puck squirting free during a wild scramble after a Kyle Palmieri scoring chance, Schaefer dived into the scrum face down and poked the puck into the net.
“Ten times out of 10 times, Palms is going to put that in the back of the net,” he said. “I guess I was there to kind of dive in to save him there a little bit.”
A lengthy delay ensued, during which the goal was reviewed and finally upheld.
By then Schaefer already had celebrated by jumping into the glass, waving to the crowd, fist-bumping goaltender Ilya Sorokin and hearing his name chanted by the fans.
“It’s crazy,” Schaefer said. “When your name is getting chanted out there, it’s awesome. It feels like home, for sure. When I go away from home as a young kid, I mean, I’m 18 years old, and when the fans show so much support, it’s pretty amazing to me.”
Schaefer was cheered when he was introduced with all of his teammates, then cheered again when he was introduced as a starter, then cheered again during the game.
He finished with a team-high eight shots on goal, had a team-high five more shots blocked, played a team-high 25:36 and moved onto the first power-play unit.
Tired? “I feel good,” he said. “I love to play hockey.”
Roy said Schaefer forced the issue by being too good to sit. “He deserved to be there; it’s plain and simple,” Roy said. “He’s exciting to watch. If I’m a fan, I’ll pay to watch him play.”
This was another milestone in a crucial time for the Islanders, both in hockey and business terms. They are beginning a new era under new management and are seeking to be more open and modern in their marketing.
But the best marketing is winning, and in Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL Draft, they have a player they believe can help with all of the above.
Schaefer and his family have been a dream team of promotion, from media relations to fan engagement to the product on the ice. Todd Schaefer said after about 45 friends and relatives were in Pittsburgh on Thursday night for Matthew’s first NHL game, there were 16 at UBS.
Matthew’s older brother, Johnny, wore a Schaefer jersey, but Todd wore a plain white shirt. Where was his Islanders jersey? “I just need a 4XL one to fit me,” he said. “They don’t make them big enough.”
Jeannine Candia of Babylon wore one. She has been a fan of Schaefer since attending the Islanders’ draft party, and even more so since meeting him during training camp.
“He’s sweet as can be,” Candia said. “I said I wanted him to know that there are going to be moms out in the stands rooting for him. As a mom, I felt that that is what it should be.”
Schaefer’s mother, Jennifer, died of breast cancer in February of 2024.
Todd Schaefer was unsure how long the traveling group of family and friends would carry on.
“I just want to hide under the radar sooner or later,” he said. “But I’ve gotten a lot of free drinks out of the deal, that’s for sure. My God, every time I’m here somebody’s buying me a beer.
“It’s fun. I was outside [the arena], and the amount of people that came up to me, it was amazing.”
Then the game began, and things got even more amazing.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
