Komarov Bringing Work Ethic and Versatility to Islanders

Leo Komarov's first goal of the season was an important one on Thursday night, holding up as the game-winner in a
4-0 shutout over the New York Rangers
, putting the Islanders in a position to clinch a playoff spot on Saturday,
The goal was as nice as it was crucial, with Komarov dropping down to one knee to one-time a cross-ice feed from Jordan Eberle far side on goalie Igor Shesterkin. Komarov's celebration also showed how important it was to the man himself, as the 34-year-old mimicked throwing a monkey off his back before being embraced by his teammates. The legend of Uncle Leo only continues to grow.

"I'm just trying to play hard and play as good I can," Komarov said. "Maybe it doesn't look good, maybe it looks good, I don't really care as long as the team wins, I'm happy for that."
Winning supersedes scoring for Komarov, who is more than content to do the dirty work to contribute to two points for the team, rather than his personal stat sheet. He's in the corners, he's killing penalties and he's agitating the opposition's top players - notably feuding with Boston's Brad Marchand.

"You have to be part of the group in the dressing room to understand how certain individuals have an effect to pull people into the fight," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Even if they aren't necessarily easy on the eyes, or have those stats, they just have a way of having an effect on the game and pulling other guys with them into the battle.
"There's an intangible in the game that you can't put a number on and Leo's one of those guys," Trotz added.
Komarov doesn't play to make friends on the ice, but keeps things light in the room and on the bench. It's not uncommon to see him and Anthony Beauvillier

in a pregame ritual on the bench and he's had a road locker stall next to Mat Barzal since arriving in 2018-19. Trotz has tried to explain the Uncle Leo effect on the Islanders room, but often it boils down to you had to be there.
"He's Uncle Leo," Trotz said on Thursday. "He's fun to have in the dressing room. When it matters for the games, he's the guy that has an effect on the game, as they say. He's one of those veteran guys that are underappreciated because he's not always pretty to the eye. As a teammate and as a coach, you value that. In today's day and age, it is harder and harder to find those guys around the league. That's the uniqueness of him."

Komarov has six points (1G, 5A) in 29 games this season and while a top-six role isn't where he started the season, the utility player has often found himself riding shotgun with Barzal and Eberle in the wake of Anders Lee's season-ending injury. Trotz has repeatedly stressed that the NHL isn't fantasy hockey, so line combinations aren't as simple as plugging in the next-highest scorer into a top spot. Trotz likes that Komarov can win battles along the wall and plays a predictable game, so that Barzal and Eberle can do their thing. Komarov is at ease moving up and down the lineup because his game won't change much either way.
"Wherever they need me, I'm just trying to do my best," Komarov said. "I've been playing pretty much everywhere and I'm happy about it. It's nice to play and trying to help the team to win."

Varlamov's Professionalism Helps Set Shutout Mark

Semyon Varlamov's career-high six shutouts attributed to being 'a good pro'
Semyon Varlamov gave himself a belated birthday gift on Thursday night, setting a new career-high with his sixth shutout of the season.
Varlamov turned aside all 25 shots he faced in the Islanders 4-0 win over the Rangers, and officially ran the table at Madison Square Garden, stopping all 79 shots he faced over his three starts. Varlamov's three shutouts at the Garden this season, while the Islanders only had two from 1972-2020.
The recently-turned 33-year-old goaltender now leads the NHL in shutouts (6) and was 14 seconds away from a seventh had it not been for a late Miles Wood tally on March 2. Varlamov's .928 SV% ranks third among goalies with 10 starts, while his 2.05 GAA ranks fourth. If the season ended today, both marks would be career-highs for the Russian. His current shutout streak is a career-best 153:56.

Varlamov's strong play in the bubble (11-7-0, 2.14 GAA, .921SV%, 2SO) has carried into the 2020-21 season. The uptick in his play, especially since joining a new team in his early 30s, is a testament to his professionalism, at least according to Trotz.
"We did some research on him and everybody talked about what a good pro he is," Trotz said of when the team signed Varlamov back in 2019. "He's dedicated to his craft, very quiet, unassuming, goes about his business day in and day out. We felt like he had lots of game and obviously he does. The way we play it allows him to feel comfortable and he has. He's been a really steadying influence for us from day one since he's got here."