Top NHL Draft Pick Schaefer Reflects on His First Goal Amid Emotional Journey

Defenseman of the New York Islanders, **[Matthew Shafer](https://example.com/tags/43254-mettyu-shefer/)**, expressed his emotions following his first NHL goal. The 18-year-old blueliner scored during a regular season game against the Washington Capitals (2-4). The Capitals challenged the goal due to a potential hand pass, but after video review, the officials confirmed the scoring.

«My mom is now up there with the hockey gods. Maybe she slipped them each 20 dollars to let that goal happen. She’s definitely watching over me. That goal gave us a boost, and we wanted to carry that energy into the rest of the game. The delay in confirming the goal definitely affected us—it felt like a really long timeout. But I believe the referees made the right call.

I love spending time on the ice; it’s amazing. I think we fought really hard. It’s just a shame we didn’t come out on top. I already adore the Islanders fans; it feels like home here. At 18 years old, having this level of support is just unbelievable. My dad and brother will leave here with wonderful memories of the fans,» said Shafer, as reported by the NHL website.

In February 2024, the player’s mother, Jennifer, passed away from breast cancer. In June of this year, he was selected first overall by the Long Island club in the NHL Draft.