Matthew Schaefer scores in OT as Islanders win fourth straight in thriller

SALT LAKE CITY — The Islanders’ mini three-game winning streak was nearly extinct, but they wouldn’t let it get lost to history Friday night. 

Jonathan Drouin tied the game on a disputed goal and Matthew Schaefer won it at 2:06 of the extra session to give the Islanders a 3-2 victory over the Mammoth — their fourth straight win on this road trip, the third in a row in overtime. 

The Islanders evened things with 6:16 to go when Jonathan Drouin played the puck off his body and directed it toward the net with his skate. It went in off Utah’s Nate Schmidt and originally was waived off, but after a situation room review, it was allowed to count because it was determined Schmidt pushed the puck over the goal line. 

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) makes a pass against the Utah Mammoth during the second period at Delta Center on Friday night. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A hectic first 20 minutes gave way to a sleepy second period, in which the only intrigue was a brief scare for Islanders rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer.

He collided with Utah’s Kevin Stenlund just inside the Mammoth blue line and limped off. After briefly heading down the tunnel, Schaefer returned to the Islanders bench and didn’t miss a shift. 

Schaefer again hobbled off after blocking a shot near the end of a Utah power play midway through the third period but once more made it back on the ice for his next turn. 

Utah had the speed and territorial edge from the jump. The Mammoth put 10 shots on Islanders second goalie David Rittich in the first 5:56. It was getting a little Rittichulous, but the second-stringer stopped them all. 

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As happened Thursday, when the Islanders were getting outplayed early, they found a way to take a 1-0 lead. Tony DeAngelo’s shot from the right point made it as far as the top of the faceoff circle, and Emil Heineman spun and batted it the rest of the way past Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka 7:13 in. 

The New York Islanders celebrate a goal by left wing Emil Heineman (51) against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Delta Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Utah celebrated the apparent equalizer four minutes later, but a league-initiated review determined his shot hit the crossbar and didn’t go in.

Just 1:21 after that, the Mammoth tied the game as JJ Peterka finished a down-low 2-on-1 that looked like John Stockton to Karl Malone back in the day at Delta Center. 

And then the Isles were down two men for 1:53 thanks to an interference call on Schaefer followed seven seconds later by a delay-of-game clearing attempt over the glass by Simon Holmstom.

That’s when Dylan Guenther gave Utah its first lead on a vicious one-timer from inside the left point. 

Outshot from start to finish, the Islanders were hoping for a continuation of an odd trend: They entered the night with a 7-1-0 record when the opponent registered more shots on goal, compared to 1-5-1 when they led in shots.