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In a matchup between two of the NHL's promising young defensemen, Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders and Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils demonstrated that they are not afraid to mix it up physically. The two players, known more for their skill, found themselves in a heated altercation late in the second period with the Islanders holding a 4-2 lead.
Schaefer, the former No. 1 overall pick, had already taken Hughes down earlier in the contest, and tensions finally boiled over. The gloves remained on, so neither player could officially record a fight on their stat sheet, but Schaefer still managed to throw multiple punches and drag Hughes to the ice. Referees intervened to break things up, sending Schaefer off before the period ended. Islanders defenseman Logan Stanley and New Jersey's Brett Pesce also got involved, though only Stanley received a penalty, as all other Islanders infractions were offset by Devils penalties.
Key Analysis
Hughes ultimately had the last laugh as New Jersey mounted a comeback in the third period and forced overtime. In the extra frame, Hughes and his brother Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal for Team USA, executed a two-on-one rush that ended with Jack beating Ilya Sorokin's blocker with just 3:42 remaining, giving the Devils a 5-4 victory. The win extended New Jersey's winning streak to four games.
After the game, Hughes downplayed the altercation, telling reporters, "I don't know. I think he just had my visor and then we just started. It doesn't really matter. Hockey is an emotional sport and I wouldn't call that a fight at all because neither of us had our gloves off. But it's a part of the game and we're two competitive guys." Schaefer echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I think it was kind of just roughing up a bit; just kind of grabbing each other. I think it just kind of happened."
The loss dropped the Islanders to a 7-6-3 record on the season. However, Schaefer's teammates viewed the scuffle positively, with Victor Eklund commenting, "I knew Schaef had it him. What a beauty." The Islanders, with Schaefer, 19, will look to bounce back when they face the San Jose Sharks on November 8. The Sharks, currently 7-11-1, present a solid opportunity for a win.