Rookie defensemen Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders and Alexander Nikishin of the Carolina Hurricanes are off to a dream start in the NHL.

Schaefer and Nikishin are on a four-game scoring streak to begin their NHL regular-season careers, with a goal and three assists each. 

On Thursday night, Nikishin scored his first career NHL goal against the Anaheim Ducks in a 4-1 victory, as the Hurricanes remain the only undefeated team this season. Nikishin has averaged 16:33 of ice time to start this season.

On the same day, the Islanders defeated the Edmonton Oilers for their first win of the season. Schaefer’s assist on the game-winning goal by center Bo Horvat made him the youngest player in NHL history to record a four-game point streak to begin their NHL career.

Islanders Rookie Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest In NHL History To Open Career With Four-Game Point StreakSchaefer broke another NHL record, becoming the youngest ever to record a point in four consecutive games to start his career. His impressive debut lights up the league.

Schaefer has also averaged 21:53 of ice time under Isles coach Patrick Roy.

While that’s an impressive feat for the 18-year-old blueliner, who missed most of his draft year with a broken collarbone, he’s still chasing a greater point-streak record.

Although Nikishin played four playoff games for Carolina last season and is 24 years old, the rulebook still considers this regular season the first games of his career, meaning the Russian D-man is also eligible to chase a bigger record.

Former defenseman Marek Zidlicky holds the record for a blueliner with the longest point streak to begin an NHL career.

Zidlicky accomplished this with the Nashville Predators during the 2003-04 season, scoring in six straight games to begin his career. He scored two goals and five assists in that span, and he went on to record 53 points in 82 games that year, the most he would score in his career.

Schaefer and the Islanders play the Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks in the next two games, while Nikishin and the Hurricanes face the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights.

Both players are tied for seventh on the list. If they extend the streak to five games, they'll be tied for second. Only Zidlicky reached six games.

Alexander Nikishin Scores First Career NHL GoalRookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin nets his first NHL goal, a thrilling moment in his young career.

As for other active NHL defensemen who appear on the list, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski had two goals and three assists for five points in his career-opening four-game point streak in 2016. Colorado Avalanche D-man Cale Makar is tied for second, with six assists in five regular-season games in 2019 after he first appeared in the previous campaign's playoffs.

The longest point streak to start a career for any player belongs to two players: the Montreal Canadiens' Joe Malone, who scored in 14 straight games to start the NHL's first-ever season in 1917-18, and Boston Bruins left winger Dimitri Kvartalnov, who had 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points in 14 games to kick of the 1992-93 season. Malone is a Hockey Hall of Famer, while Kvartalnov put up 91 points in 112 games before returning to Europe.

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