Varlamov sparks Islanders in shootout win against Panthers

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Semyon Varlamov made 35 saves and did not allow a goal in in the shootout for his first win with the New York Islanders, 3-2 against the Florida Panthers at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday.

Varlamov, in the first season of a four-year contract he signed with the Islanders on July 1, was perfect against Aleksander Barkov, Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau in the shootout.
Anders Lee and Josh Bailey scored for New York (2-3-0), which had been outscored 10-4 in back to back losses against the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes. Brock Nelson scored in the shootout.
WATCH: [All Panthers vs. Islanders highlights]
"It was a different game tonight," Varlamov said. "The boys battled very hard in front of the net, and then they did an unbelievable job today; I saw most of the shots, which is always easy to play like that.
"To be honest, I was trying to figure out what they were going to do [in the shootout], because nobody came with the speed tonight. They were trying to stop in the half zone and then they were trying to figure out what am I going to do. It's a mind game. I'm just glad I was able to stop all the shots in the shootout and get a [win] tonight."

Denis Malgin and Evgenii Dadonov scored, and Sam Montembeault made 26 saves in his first start of the season for Florida, which has lost three straight (0-1-2) and four of five (1-2-2). The Panthers also lost 3-2 in a shootout at the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Dadonov tied the game at 13:38 of the third period off a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau, who has five assists in his past four games.
"Our start was good, just like [Friday]," Barkov said. "And in the second period, we got a little cute and started to make some stupid plays and it cost us a couple of goals. In the third period, we battled back. We have to learn to play the way we played in the third period, how we battled back."

Bailey scored his second goal of the season at 17:31 of the second period to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead, completing a sequence that started when Adam Pelech broke up a play in the neutral zone. Jordan Eberle took a pass from Pelech and found an open Bailey, whose quick release beat Montembeault over his left shoulder.
Lee tied it 1-1 with his second goal when Mathew Barzal stickhandled the puck to the right of Montembeault, stayed patient and found the Islanders forward for a one-timer at 5:40 of the second.
"We both kind of saw the play," Lee said. "Had he rushed it, the stick was kind of there. He waited for it to get out of the way and put it in a good spot to me, and [Ross Johnston] had a great screen up front. Just another example of [Barzal's] patience and poise and him seeing the ice."

Malgin, promoted to second-line center between Huberdeau and Dadonov, gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 5:34 of the first.
Varlamov made 13 saves in the third period, including two against Barkov with Leo Komarov in the penalty box for hooking at 8:48.
"He was great," Lee said. "They had a great push, put us up against the wall a little bit, and then again in the shootout him standing tall was huge. Really proud of him and happy for him to get his first win."

They said it

"We had a decent start to the game. I didn't mind our beginning of the game. We did some good things and then we try and make some plays that aren't really there, the simplicity of the game is what we're looking to do. If we can get simpler, which means move the puck ahead, keep it, support it, and put it in good areas, it's going to make it a lot easier." -- Panthers coach Joel Quenneville
"It was a great game. It was a well-played game by both sides, and it was important to us. We had a meeting and said, 'Hey, we have to stay with it. Let's get back to what we're doing.' We didn't focus on the outcome. We just focused on the process and we have to get back to playing our way. We didn't have any passengers. It was a team win. Tonight, we had Islander hockey; we had all our lines going." -- Islanders coach Barry Trotz

Need to know

Eberle did not play in overtime after he was checked by Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson with 3:05 remaining in the third period. "He got hit in a strange spot," Trotz said. "We'll re-evaluate it and see where it is." … Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy played 18:27 after missing one game with an undisclosed injury. Center Casey Cizikas (undisclosed) did not play for a second straight game, but Trotz said he's not concerned about it being a long-term injury. … Panthers forward Mike Hoffman's season-opening point streak ended at four games (seven points; five goals, two assists).

What's next

Panthers: At the New Jersey Devils on Monday (1 p.m. ET; MSG, FS-F, NHL.TV)
Islanders: Host the St. Louis Blues on Monday (Nassau Coliseum; 1 p.m. ET; ESPN+, MSG+, FS-MW, NHL.TV)