NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders tied the NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman, scoring his 23rd of the season Thursday night to match Hall of Famer Brian Leetch's mark.
Schaefer's record-tying goal came at 9:39 of the second period and gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs as New York went on to win 5-3. Schaefer beat goaltender Artur Akhtyamov through the legs following a pass from Tony DeAngelo.
“It’s crazy. You don’t really think about that stuff,” Schaefer said when asked how it feels to be mentioned alongside Leetch. “But obviously when it gets brought up it’s crazy to think. It’s definitely an honor to see some of those guys and what they’ve done.”
Schaefer, 18, continues to deliver one of the most remarkable rookie seasons by a player at his position in league history. He ranks second on the Islanders with 59 points, showcasing elite offensive ability from the blue line.
The goal was his first since March 21 against Montreal, ending a brief drought while adding another milestone to his growing resume.
“Watching him from the bench, live, it’s just, wow, what a player,” Peter DeBoer said of Schaefer after his first game as the Islanders' coach. “I watched him a lot on video as we were scouting for the Olympics. To see him live like that, at the age he’s at, and how dynamic he is, both ends of the rink, defensively, in particular. I know the offensive stuff, but for a young player how defensively aware he is and how much he works at the defensive piece of the game too. He’s a really, really special player.”
Selected first in the draft last year, Schaefer entered the league following an injury-shortened junior season but quickly made an impact. He became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to record a point in his debut and has since set multiple age-based records.
He's now one away from passing Leetch, who set the record in 1988-89 and won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Schaefer is the front-runner for the same honor.
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New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer (48) celebrates with teammates Tony DeAngelo (77) andn Ondrej Palat (81) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Islanders right wing Simon Holmstrom is congratulated after scoring a goal by Matthew Schaefer (48) in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
PORTERVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A man fatally shot a central California sheriff’s deputy Thursday morning while authorities were serving an eviction notice and was killed by officers after an hourslong standoff.
Tulare County deputies were serving the eviction notice at a home in Porterville when a 60-year-old man opened fire on them, the sheriff's department wrote on Facebook. Porterville is about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles in the state’s Central Valley.
The man was barricaded inside the home with a rifle for several hours. At one point, authorities deployed gas into the home as the man continued to fire at law enforcement. The standoff ended around 6 p.m. when the man left the home and moved through the yards of nearby homes, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said at an evening news conference.
Boudreaux said a Kern County SWAT team drove an armored car into the yard where the man was laying on the ground and he started firing at them. The team drove the car over the man, killing him.
Bystander video shot from a driveway and posted by the Visalia Times-Delta shows several armed deputies crouched on the ground in the road when a series of shots ring out and some of the deputies run away. The gunman cannot be seen from the video. Additional video shows someone being carried into an emergency medical vehicle.
Boudreaux said the man had failed to pay rent for 35 days and had been expecting law enforcement to arrive to serve a final notice for eviction. Boudreaux said he “laid in wait” and immediately shot at officers when they arrived.
The man's family was in contact with him and urged him to come out peacefully, but he refused, Boudreaux said.
The deputy was killed was part of a group of officers that arrived to help after gunfire began, Boudreaux said.
He was later identified as Detective Randy Hoppert, a veteran of the U.S. Navy who joined the sheriff's department in 2020.
“This is senseless,” Boudreaux said.
Residents in the neighborhood were evacuated by SWAT teams or urged to shelter in place for several hours Thursday afternoon. Nearby schools were on lockdown.
Miguel Ibarra, whose 82-year-old mother lives across the street from the gunman, said it was surreal to see his parents' house on TV in what is normally a quiet, boring neighborhood.
“The police did a really good job keeping us informed and keeping us in the know of what’s going on,” he said.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, right, speaks to media after a sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Porterville, Calif. (Tulare County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, center, attends a news conference after a sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Porterville, Calif. (Tulare County Sheriff's Office via AP)
