The New York Islanders dropped their game against the New York Rangers 5-2 on Tuesday night inside Madison Square Garden. Though it looks like a blowout, the game was effectively 3-2 until Alexis Lafreniére potted not one but two empty-net goals to seal the win for the Rangers.
The story became about two other things for the Islanders as the night evolved.
First, Alexander Romanov suffered an undisclosed injury, and is still being evaluated. An update is expected at some point Wednesday.
The other main storyline is the unbelievable, surreal return for Semyon Varlamov from partial double-knee replacement surgery.
For a 38-year-old goaltender, you'd not be surprised in the least to think that would be it for his career.
Instead, Varlamov rehabbed and worked hard for two years, and returned for his first NHL start in 676 days. Varlamov just enjoyed the moment Tuesday.
“I was having a lot of fun out there," Varlamov said postgame. "[It was] a little bit emotional in the beginning, especially during the warm-up.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results today," The veteran netminder continued. "But the whole experience was awesome.”
Unfortunately for the Islanders and Varlamov, the team did not play their best game. The Islanders coughed up far too many Grade-A chances, and the Rangers took advantage.
“Considering the circumstances, I thought he was a warrior for us out in there today," Islanders' Head Coach Peter DeBoer said postgame. "I give him full marks for what he’s gone through to come back, and this is the first step for him.”
The trouble started from the first shot of the game. Oliver Bjorkstrand was left entirely unmarked from a dangerous position.
Bjorkstrand sniped it top shelf, burying it over Varlamov's glove
."The first shot was a great shot," Varlamov said. "He did surprise me a little bit on that one. Short side goal. That's not how you wanted to start a game.
"But you know it is what it is," Varlamov continued. "I gave up the the first first goal, the first shot, but I was trying to just not to think about it too much, and then kind of like move on quickly, and then continue to just stay focused on the game."
Varlamov's composure was key, as the Rangers fired off high-danger chances one after another.
Lafreniére's first of his hat trick came on a partial breakaway just 25 seconds into the second period, sniping one over Varlamov's glove.
The ESPN broadcast pointed it out, and made it out to be a potential weakness.
Varlamov proceeded to make multiple big glove saves from then onward, not allowing another goal to beat him on that side.
The Islanders clawed back from down 2-0 to tie the game, but a late second period penalty spelled doom.
The Islanders completely lost their assignments on a puck battle, and when the Rangers emerged with it, Bjorkstrand stood all alone on the opposite side of the rink, waiting for a pass.
The pass came, and the sniper rifled it home over Varlamov's blocker, a shot he had no chance at.
The Islanders then could not do much of anything in the third period with the puck, but Varlamov kept them in it til the very end. Varlamov made 10 third-period saves to keep the Islanders alive, until the empty-net goals.
That was all she wrote, and the Rangers won 5-2. Postgame, Varlamov physically felt 100%.
“Everything feels great," Varlamov said. "Everything feels 100%. Nothing holds me back. I felt like I finished the game strong, and then did not have any issues.”
The Islanders' next three games are all at home, followed by a two-game road trip to Ontario to see the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Varlamov' next start will likely be one of those two games, if not the home game next Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks.
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
