New York Islanders netminder Semyon Varlamov is in the zone and has earned the chance to keep getting starts, as he'll be in between the pipes against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
New York Islanders netminder Semyon Varlamov is in the zone and has earned the chance to keep getting starts, as he'll be in between the pipes against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov isn't one to show emotion too often.
But after his elite performance against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, when he stopped all 41 shots, the 35-year-old veteran was smiling grin to grin.
"He was outstanding. He looks so confident out there," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said postgame. "Our goalie gave us the chance to win this game tonight. He won the game for us tonight."
While Varlamov's performance was impressive, his strong play was not a surprise to anyone.
With how shaky Ilya Sorokin has been this season, especially lately, Roy has shown faith in his veteran backstop and has been rewarded.
"I'm not surprised. It's funny because, before coming here, they told me how good he was in the playoffs, the series against Boston and Tampa (2021), the last one, losing 1-0 in Game Seven. Apparently, he was outstanding. But am I surprised? No.
"I have a Jack Adams because of him. So, I know how good he is. And I know what he could do when he gets in that zone."
Roy took home the Jack Adams Award in 2013-14 after the Colorado Avalanche finished with the best record in the NHL.
Varlamov was second in Vezina voting and fourth in the Hart race after posting a 2.41 GAA with a .927 SV% and two shutouts with a league-leading 41 wins.
Because Varlamov is currently in that zone of being dialed in, it was a no-brainer decision for Roy and the Islanders to ride him into their game against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
"It's hard to go against Varly right now, between you and I," Roy said. "He's been playing so well, and Ilya has been playing well as well against Chicago and Columbus, but Varly is in the zone.
"He was really good against the Panthers, was very good in Tampa, even if we lost. He was really good against the Flyers. He was phenomenal against Nashville in the last game, so it's hard to go against him."
The Islanders have played the Rangers twice this season, falling 6-5 in an utter collapse outdoors at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 18 before being absolutely dominated against them at Madison Square Garden in a 5-2 loss on March 17.
Sorokin got both those starts.
Now, Varlamov gets a crack at it, with the Islanders holding on to third place in the Metropolitan Division with five games to go.
Roy has made it abundantly clear that goalie decisions come from goalie coach Piero Greco, who the first-year Islanders head coach and Hockey Hall of Famer trusts.
It's also been made clear that stats against an opponent aren't something that's used as a basis for decisions, but with the way Varlamov is playing AND how he's fared against the Rangers in his career, is something that should provide confidence to everyone, from management to players to Varlamov and the fan base.
In 23 career games against the Rangers, Varlamov is 13-8-2 with a 2.62 GAA and a .914 SV% with five shutouts.
Since joining the Islanders, Varlamov is 7-5-1 against the Rangers, with a 2.36 GAA and a .919 SV%.
"Every game is clutch," Varly said in his interview in front of the crowd after Saturday's win. "We've got only five games left, and we have to keep it going.
"The fans went nuts, and I went nuts in the net!"
Varlamov is tasked with the Islander's next "biggest game" of the season and with a strong performance against the Rangers, he'll likely continue to get the nod from Roy as they continue their push to the postseason.