NY Islanders veterans protect Matthew Schaefer and have his back in a big way

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. “You want to protect your teammate, especially Shaef,” Bo Horvat said. “We have each other’s backs in this locker room. We’re all brothers in here, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to protect each other.” Anders Lee, who jumped into the fray alongside Anthony Duclair, echoed that sentiment: “You see a big man on one of our guys — you go in there and have his back. That’s what this group is about.”

Head coach Patrick Roy praised the response, calling it a defining moment. “I loved how the guys jumped in,” Roy said. “The reaction of our guys — that’s what you’re looking for. They’re a tight group, and they back each other. I’m proud of them for that.”

For Schaefer, who logged heavy minutes and helped set up a key goal, it was another night of proof that he belongs — and that the Islanders will make sure no one takes liberties with their rookie phenom. “They’re a great team over there,” Schaefer said. “We battled hard. We’ll learn from it and move on — together.”