Capitals spoil NY Islanders’ home opener despite Matthew Schaefer’s historic goal

The home opener at UBS Arena was supposed to be a celebration of a new season — and the first home goal for the franchise’s newest face. Matthew Schaefer delivered on his end, scoring his first NHL goal and making more history in the process. But the night still belonged to the visitors.

Aliaksei Protas scored twice and added an assist, and the Washington Capitals beat the New York Islanders 4-2 on Saturday night, spoiling the Isles’ return to Long Island ice. Martin Fehervary and rookie Ryan Leonard also scored for Washington, while Jakob Chychrun tallied two assists and Logan Thompson made 34 saves.

The Islanders, now 0-2-0, struggled early as Fehervary scored just 1:50 into the game and Protas doubled the lead late in the first after a neutral-zone turnover by Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Leonard made it 3-0 midway through the second when his shot caromed off Scott Mayfield’s skate and in. Another turnover at the offensive blue line led to Protas’ second goal, a breakaway finish past Ilya Sorokin, who stopped 25 shots.

Anthony Duclair got the Islanders on the board late in the second with a power-play tally — his first goal with the club — and Sorokin made a spectacular save at the buzzer to deny Protas a hat trick.

Then, history repeated itself. Two nights after becoming the youngest defenseman to record a point in his NHL debut, Schaefer — at 18 years, 36 days — became the youngest defenseman to score a goal since Ross Johnstone in 1944. He dove across the crease to jam in a rebound and electrify the crowd. The Capitals challenged for goalie interference, but the call stood — the goal, and the moment, belonged to Schaefer.

“He was just so good. I mean, he was our best player out there tonight,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “I mean, I thought he brought energy at the end of the second period, and then we got that power play, and he deserved to be there, plain and simple. I mean, he's exciting to watch. If I'm a fan, I'll pay to watch him play. There's no doubt about it.”

The Isles will look for their first win of the season against last season's Presidents' Trophy winners, the Winnipeg Jets, on Monday afternoon at UBS Arena.