Semyon Varlamov notches fourth career playoff shutout

The New York Islanders have won the first game of the second round of the 2020 National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Monday night it was a solid performance from Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov of Samara, Russia, who made 29 saves for the shutout in a 4-0 Islanders win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto, Ontario.

Varlamov made four saves in the first period, 15 saves in the second period, and 10 saves in the third period. Travis Konecny of London, Ontario led the Flyers with four shots on goal.

This was also Varlamov’s second shutout of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He previously blanked the Washington Capitals on August 20 in a 4-0 Islanders win to close out the first round of the series. The Islanders beat the Capitals four games to one in five games.

Varlamov also became the first Islanders goaltender to record a shutout in two consecutive playoff games. The Islanders have had a shutout in two consecutive games before. In the first round of the 1979 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Islanders beat the Chicago Blackhawks 1-0 on April 18, 1979, in overtime, and again on Apri 20, 1979 in a 4-0 Islanders win. However, in those playoffs, the Islanders had shutouts from Billy Smith of Perth, Ontario, and Glenn “Chico” Resch of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Varlamov’s two prior postseason shutouts came with the Capitals in the 2009 postseason. He beat the New York Rangers 4-0 on April 20, 2009, and again on April 24, 2009, as the Capitals beat the Rangers four games to three in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

In the Islanders win over the Flyers on Monday, nine different Islanders recorded a single point. The Islanders’ goal scorers were Andy Greene of Trenton, MI, Anders Lee of Edina, MN, Jean-Gabriel Pageau of Ottawa, Ontario, and Devon Toews of Abbotsford, British Columbia.

The Islanders are the only team from the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs that are currently leading in the second round after having to play a qualifying-round series to officially get into the playoffs. New York beat the Florida Panthers in four games before beating the Capitals in five games.