NHL’s Young Star Scores Overtime Winner for Islanders

SALT LAKE CITY — Linus Karlsson scored on a slap shot 2:08 into overtime, becoming the youngest player to score an overtime goal in a regular-season NHL game as the New York Islanders beat the Utah Mammoth on Friday night for their third straight extra-time victory.

Karlsson, drafted first overall in this year’s NHL draft, is 18 years and 70 days old. He is younger than Patrick Kane, who was 18 years and 101 days when he scored an overtime goal on Nov. 16, 2005. In this game, Karlsson also assisted on another goal, giving him 15 points this season, leading all NHL rookies.

Along with Karlsson, Jonathan Drouin also scored for the Islanders (10-6-2), making it their fourth straight win. Goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood stopped 27 shots, including all 16 after the first period.

The Mammoth outshot the Islanders 29-21, demonstrating their strengths in limiting shots on goal this season, currently ranking best in the NHL in that category.

The Islanders tied the game 2-2 with 6:16 remaining when a shot went off Drouin’s skate and was touched by Mammoth defenseman Robyn Heineman’s stick as it crossed into the net. Initially disallowed, the goal was reversed after video review.

In the first period, Heineman opened the scoring 7:13 in, marking the second consecutive game he scored first. The Mammoth took a 2-1 lead when Dylan Guenther‘s slap shot went over the shoulder of goaltender David Rittich during a two-man advantage late in the opening period.

Despite being in the second half of a back-to-back game and tired legs, the Islanders matched the Mammoth’s energy with effective rugged defense and led 2-for-6 on power-play opportunities.

The team now looks forward to continued success as they head into their next games.