New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer tied the NHL record for most goals by a rookie defenseman, scoring his 23rd of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The 18-year-old's milestone goal came at 9:39 of the second period, giving the Islanders a 3-2 lead over Toronto.

The goal, assisted by Tony DeAngelo, matched Hall of Famer Brian Leetch's mark set in 1988-89 with the New York Rangers. Schaefer beat goaltender Artur Akhtyamov through the legs, ending a brief scoring drought that stretched back to March 21 against the Montreal Canadiens. The rookie ranks second on the Islanders with 59 points this season.

Selected first overall in last year's draft, Schaefer has delivered one of the most remarkable rookie seasons by a defenseman in league history. He became the youngest defenseman ever to record a point in his NHL debut and continues to set age-based records. With one more goal, Schaefer will surpass Leetch and become the new standard for rookie defenseman scoring. He's the clear favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie.