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Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs

Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs | iNFOnews.ca
New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer celebrates after his goal in the overtime period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Schaefer scored twice, including at 4:11 of overtime, and the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Saturday night.

Adam Pelech and Emil Heineman also scored, and Jonathan Drouin and Mathew Barzal each had two assists for the Islanders, who won for the second time in three games. David Rittich had 18 saves in his seventh straight start, with Ilya Sorokin dressing as the backup for the first time since Dec. 19.

Auston Matthews had two goals for the Maple leafs, setting the franchise career record with 421. Nicholas Robertson also scored and Joseph Woll finished with 21 saves.

In the extra period, Barzal found Schaefer all alone in the high slot and the 18-year-old rookie defenseman wired a shot past Woll for the win.

Matthews scored twice in the second period to move past Hall-of-Famer Mats Sundin for the franchise mark. His first tied Sundin at 420 when he beat Rittich at 9:30. He broke the record with his 20th of the season with 2:41 left in the period on a one-timer to give Toronto a 2-1 lead.

After Schaefer tied the score with 8:50 left in the third, Nicholas Roy set up Robertson for a go-ahead goal 1:02 later after a turnover by Heineman in the Islanders’ defensive zone.

The Swedish forward redeemed himself with the tying goal on a power play with 2:45 remaining in regulation, scoring on a one-timer off a feed from Barzal.

Pelech opened the scoring for the Islanders at 1:10 of the second period.

With the milestone, Matthews became the first United States-born player to lead a Canadian franchise in career goals and joined Mike Modano as one of the only U.S.-born players to hold a franchise goal-scoring record with a minimum of 50 goals.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Host Florida on Tuesday night.

Islanders: Host New Jersey on Tuesday night.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL

Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs | iNFOnews.ca
New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer, left, and teammate Emil Heineman (51) celebrate Schaefer’s goal in the overtime period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs | iNFOnews.ca
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34), left, high-fives teammates after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs | iNFOnews.ca
New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal, top, shoots the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Schaefer scores 2nd goal of game in OT to give Islanders 4-3 win over Maple Leafs | iNFOnews.ca
New York Islanders’ Emil Heineman and Matthew Schaefer (48) hold back Toronto Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe, center, during a fight in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

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Scott Charles

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