Semyon Varlamov’s road back to a regular-season win finally ended in Nashville, and the Islanders made sure it came with a little extra drama. Nearly two years after his last official victory and after two partial knee replacements, Varlamov picked up win No. 290 in his NHL career as the Islanders outlasted the Predators 4-3 in a shootout after regulation finished tied at 3-3.
The finish fit the night. The Islanders built a 3-0 lead, let it slip, then survived a relentless Nashville push long enough to get to overtime and then the shootout. Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat scored the deciding shootout goals, while Varlamov stopped both looks he faced in the tiebreaker.
For the Islanders, it was also a long-awaited result in Nashville. They hadn’t won there since 2017, back when John Tavares was captain and Doug Weight was coaching. That was the night Tavares scored a hat trick.
The game started with the Islanders looking sharp in a first period that featured plenty of penalties. Anthony Duclair put them ahead at 4-on-4 at 3:07, jumping into a rush with J-G Pageau and getting inside his defender to redirect Pageau’s pass from just above the crease.
Five minutes later, they made it 2-0 through some scrappy work around the Nashville net. Brayden Schenn eventually shoveled in a loose puck after fumbling his first attempt, good enough for the Isles and ugly enough to count.
They carried that momentum into the second period, where Simon Holmstrom, Horvat and Duclair put together a really strong shift that drew enough attention for MSG to give Josh Bailey a whole segment about it during the intermission. Horvat finished the sequence with a one-timer off a beautifully threaded cross-slot feed from Matthew Schaefer.
At 3-0 just 1:08 into the middle period, the Islanders looked like they might cruise. Instead, the game turned fast.
A penalty and a few careless plays opened the door for Nashville, and the Predators scored twice in 3:20, including a power-play goal. Ryan O’Reilly nearly had the equalizer moments later, but his point-blank chance clanged off the outside of the post.
The Islanders steadied things enough to reach the second intermission without further damage, but the third period brought more trouble. Nashville had the better of play to start the final frame, and when the Islanders finally created a decent forecheck and drew a penalty against the hard-working Victor Eklund, their power play couldn’t cash in.
Then O’Reilly struck again. He came out of the box, helped create the next chance, and finished off the loose puck after Varlamov made the save but couldn’t keep it from slipping behind him. Just 4:16 into the third, the game was tied 3-3.
That didn’t mean Varlamov was the problem. He made excellent saves during long stretches of Nashville pressure and looked plenty active while the Predators pressed. The bounces weren’t helping, and the pressure kept coming, especially when Nashville had its fifth power play of the night.
The Islanders spent much of the rest of regulation hanging on. Casey Cizikas had to go to the bench after losing his helmet on a desperate defensive play, and Adam Pelech stepped in with a block from the slot. Ondrej Palat, who had replaced Cizikas, then delivered one of the Islanders’ best chances of the period with a strong move down the left wing that forced a great save from Jussi Saros.
From there, it was mostly survival. O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos and Mavrick Bourque kept pushing Nashville forward, and the Islanders relied on Pelech blocks and whatever they could get to relieve the pressure. What had once looked like a comfortable 3-0 lead had become a fight just to earn a point.
Overtime brought a brief swing in momentum. Nashville won the opening faceoff, but after the Islanders regained possession, Schaefer drew a penalty. With Varlamov off for the extra attacker, the Islanders worked the puck patiently and used the full 1:45 of the delayed-penalty sequence to set up a 4-on-3.
On the actual power play, they kept the puck but never really threatened. Schaefer then had to race back and break up a Filip Forsberg breakaway as Forsberg exited the penalty box, all after Schaefer had played the entire overtime.
The shootout felt like the right ending, and it gave the Islanders the finish they needed. When it was over, their players mobbed Varlamov by the Isles goal, jumping and celebrating the long-awaited win that had been so long in coming.
In Other News...
Varlamov Just Delivered The Islanders Lift They Desperately Needed
Semyon Varlamov gave the Islanders exactly the kind of stabilizing night they have been searching for, turning aside 20 of 23 shots and blanking Nashville in the shootout of a 4-3 win. The result snapped a two-game winless streak and gave New York its first victory in Nashville since 2017, a road result that carried a little extra weight for a team looking to steady itself.
For Varlamov, it was more than just a strong outing in the crease, because the performance came after a long stretch without an NHL win. The Islanders have leaned on his experience before, and on this night he looked like the calming presence they needed, even as the game went beyond regulation and into a tense finish. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Recalls May Signal Something Bigger On Defense
The Islanders latest roster shuffle brought Pierre Engvall and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson up from the AHL affiliate, with Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli going on injured reserve and the club getting back to a 23-man roster. On the surface, it is a practical move to cover absences, but it also comes at a time when the blue line is still searching for clarity after a recent loss and coach Peter DeBoer has left open the possibility of making more changes if the current look does not hold.
Aitchesons recall is the part worth watching most closely, because it signals the Islanders are at least considering adjustments on defense rather than simply shuffling forwards to survive a short stretch. With pairings still unsettled and roster flexibility in play, the next few games could tell the staff whether this was just a temporary patch or the first sign of a deeper rethink on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Matthew Schaefer Just Gave Islanders Fans Another Reason To Watch Closely
Matthew Schaefer kept finding his way into the biggest moments of the Islanders overtime clash with Nashville, and the rookie defenseman ended up with a workload that stood out even in a game full of extra pressure. Peter DeBoer had plenty to like afterward, pointing to Schaefers poise and the way he handled a heavy night on the back end, where his 32:16 of ice time led all defensemen in the game.
What made the overtime stretch especially notable was how involved Schaefer stayed once the game moved past regulation. He drew the tripping penalty early in the five-minute session, then remained on the ice through the delayed-penalty power play and the rest of overtime, a rare level of trust in a young defenseman in a high-leverage spot. For Islanders fans, it was another reminder that Schaefer is already being leaned on in ways that go well beyond the usual rookie experience. [Read more 🡒]