Semyon Varlamov Breaks Down First Start In 676 Days

New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov made his first NHL start in 676 days following partial double-knee replacement surgery. The Islanders suffered a 5-2 defeat against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. Despite allowing early goals to Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alexis Lafreniére, the 38-year-old veteran netminder kept New York in contention with 10 third-period saves before two late empty-net goals sealed the victory.

Following the game, Islanders head coach Peter DeBoer praised Varlamov's resilience, calling him a warrior after enduring two years of rehabilitation. Varlamov stated that he physically felt 100 percent with no lingering issues. In addition to the loss, Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov suffered an undisclosed injury during the contest and is currently being evaluated.