If there was any doubt that Matthew Schaefer has already earned the respect of his New York Islanders teammates, it vanished Tuesday night. When Nikita Zadorov delivered two high cross-checks to the 18-year-old defenseman, the Islanders immediately swarmed to his defense — a moment that said as much about the team’s culture as it did about the rookie’s impact.
“I love these guys,” Schaefer said afterward. “I know they always have my back, and I’ll always have theirs. Obviously it means a lot. I love these guys in here.”
The scrum, which drew an interference and double-minor roughing call against Zadorov, sparked the Islanders bench.