NY Islanders' Matthew Schaefer reveals his secret to surviving five minutes of OT

Apparently, Matthew Schaefer has figured out something the rest of us haven't. How to play five straight minutes of NHL overtime and somehow look like you could go another five.

The New York Islanders' young defenseman made history when he became the first player since the NHL began tracking individual ice time to play an entire five-minute overtime period. No line changes. No trips to the bench. Just Schaefer, skating around like this was another Tuesday afternoon.

And the secret behind his seemingly endless stamina? Friday afternoons in the summer.

Schaefer revealed that his offseason training includes a weekly three-on-three tournament on a miniature rink, where each game lasts five minutes and players stay on the ice the entire time.

"We do a three-on-three game every Friday when I'm training in the summer," Schaefer explained. "You're on the ice for five minutes straight and then you'll take a break."

His summer training partner, Brian Marshall, certainly noticed the connection.

"He was texting me. He's like, I mean, I guess the three-on-three is paying off," Schaefer laughed.

Of course, Schaefer insists the historic shift wasn't nearly as exhausting as it looked. A delayed penalty, extended offensive-zone possession, a power play and a well-timed timeout helped break things up.

"Honestly, it was broken up nicely where I wasn't super gassed," he said. "When you're in zone playing with the puck, it's kind of fun."

But there's more to it than summer shinny.

Schaefer credits his conditioning work, including those dreaded stationary bike sessions, while pointing out that knowing when to conserve energy is just as important as having plenty of it.

"You just got to pace yourself," he said. "You don't want to be going every time."

Then again, perhaps the simplest explanation came from Schaefer himself.

"I just love playing hockey at the end of the day."

And maybe that's what makes the whole thing so remarkable. What everyone else sees as an extraordinary physical achievement, Schaefer sees as five more minutes doing something he loves.

The scary part for the rest of the NHL? He might still be building up his stamina.

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