Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov may be starting a third consecutive game for the first time in two years against the Flyers on Monday night. Coach Patrick Roy praised Varlamov’s performance in the previous game against the Lightning, where he made 36 saves despite the team’s defensive struggles. With Ilya Sorokin facing struggles in recent starts, going back to him in a must-win game could be risky, especially since Varlamov has been playing better as of late with a higher save percentage in his recent games.
Roy made changes to the defense pairs on Sunday, with positive results such as Alexander Romanov playing well alongside Noah Dobson, and Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock reuniting. He seemed pleased with the adjustments made to the lineup and hopes that the changes will continue to benefit the team moving forward. It appears that Roy might be leaning towards starting Varlamov against the Flyers to capitalize on his recent strong performance in net.
The Islanders have struggled in back-to-back games this season, having yet to win in the second game of a back-to-back in their first nine attempts. They will be facing the Flyers on Monday before playing the Blackhawks on Tuesday, a team that has already defeated them earlier in the season. This final back-to-back of the season will be crucial for the Islanders as they try to secure important points in the standings to boost their playoff chances.
Given the importance of the upcoming games, particularly against the Flyers, the Islanders will be looking for a strong performance from Varlamov in net to give them the best chance of securing a victory. With Sorokin struggling and Varlamov playing well, Roy may choose to ride the hot hand and give Varlamov the opportunity to start his third consecutive game for the first time in two years. The team’s success may hinge on Varlamov’s ability to continue his strong play and keep the Islanders in the game against key opponents.
