Greiss Delivers in Game 4 for Islanders

Thomas Greiss has always been unflappable, so when he was tapped to jump into a high-stakes playoff game and make his first start mid-series, there wasn't any fretting, from goalie or team.
Greiss did as he usually does, nonchalantly making 36 saves in a 3-2 Game 4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers to put the New York Islanders up 3-1 in their best-of-seven series. He wasn't just good in Game 4, the Islanders maintained Greiss was their best player in what Barry Trotz characterized as their "worst" game of the postseason.

"Goaltending can win you games this time of year and that was it for us," said Brock Nelson, who scored a pair of goals in the win. "[It's] not the easiest spot, it's been some time since he played a game, but stepping in, getting the start, he raised his level and won us a game."
The praise, effusive. The reaction from Greiss, ho-hum.
"Just stop the puck," Greiss said with his understated German pragmatism. "It's not rocket science out there."

That's part of what has made Greiss such an effective goalie for the Isles since arriving in 2015. He's got the same demeanor whether he's riding a hot streak, or acting as a sounding board on opposing netminders for the Isles. Greiss has formed collaborative partnerships with Jaroslav Halak, Robin Lehner and now Semyon Varlamov, who has started 12 of the Isles 13 games this postseason.
Seeing Varlamov (9-2, 1.69 GAA, .935 SV%, 2 SO) go on a run would cause some goalies to bristle, but as much as Greiss would prefer to play, he's maintained a positive attitude, strong work ethic in practice and team-first focus in the bubble, staying ready for his opportunity.
ISLES-FLYERS GAME 4
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"You talk about the ultimate goalie partner for anybody, Thomas Greiss is it," Trotz said. "Whatever you want, he's all in. He's practiced really well, he's gives you everything he's got every day in practice and when you throw him in, he can do a lot of different things. Tonight he was outstanding."
Greiss found out that he'd be starting after Game 3 on Saturday night, giving him a day to prepare for his first postseason start since 2016 - and first start in any capacity since March 7. Fortunately, the 34-year-old made a pair of postseason appearances, a third period tune-up in the July 29 exhibition game vs the Rangers and a 20-save relief effort in Game 2. Greiss said both game scenarios were key in helping him gets his rhythm back, as the pace can't be fully replicated in practice.
"You never know when it's happening, but you always have to be ready," Greiss said. "It's more physical [than mental], just staying in shape and being ready."
Greiss had to be ready from the drop of the puck on Sunday, as the Flyers got off to another quick start with a 5-0 shot advantage to start the game. He made a big early stop as he dove back in his crease to pounce on a loose puck off Scott Mayfield's skate, the first of several acrobatic saves on the evening.
Greiss made perhaps his biggest stops the dying seconds of the second period, when he laid out to stop a charging James van Riemsdyk from cutting across the net with the score tied 1-1. That was the first in a two-save effort, as a seated Greiss also got an arm on Jakub Voracek's rebound. That could have been deflating moment for the Isles, who were outshot 17-3 in the middle frame, but Greiss buoyed them into the intermission in a tie game.
"Greisser was really solid and made a huge save," JG Pageau said. "He gave us momentum and kept us believing in our chance going into the third."

He made another key stop on Claude Giroux in the third, a cause-and-effect save that preceded Pageau's eventual game winner. The only two goals that beat him were deflections through traffic, the first an outside-in deflection from Sean Couturier at 15:09 of the second, and the other a late point shot from Ivan Provorov that hit a shin pad on the way in.
Even with the late goal, Greiss didn't flinch, making the next - and final - save with ease, before Mayfield closed down shop by bleeding the clock in the corner.
Where the goalie starts go from here, only Trotz knows, but at least the coach has confidence that he can rely on two dependable options after another calm and collected Greiss performance.
"I knew at some point both goalies would be part of the solution," Trotz said. "Tonight there was no question that Greisser was a big part of the solution."