Varlamov allowed two goals on 25 shots in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 1. The third goal was an empty-netter.

EDGE Analysis

Varlamov's strong play to help the Islanders get in the playoffs earned him the Game 1 start, but the team in front of him fell flat for the postseason opener. He has allowed no more than two goals in any of his last five outings. Varlamov was 14-8-4 with a 2.60 GAA and a .918 save percentage over 28 regular-season contests. Should he stumble again, head coach Patrick Roy may be forced to turn back to Ilya Sorokin quickly.