Varlamov makes 26 saves as Islanders rout Capitals

NEW YORK — Brock Nelson and Anders Lee scored first-period objectives, Mathew Barzal had three assists and Semyon Varlamov made 26 saves because the New York Islanders routed the playoff-bound Washington Capitals 5-1 on Thursday night time.

J.G. Pageau, Kyle Palmieri and Josh Bailey added third-period objectives for the Islanders, who swept a home-and-home collection with the playoff-bound Capitals this week and improved to 20-15-5 at dwelling.

The Islanders are 16-10-2 of their final 28 video games however will conclude a disappointing marketing campaign with no postseason berth at dwelling Friday towards Tampa Bay, the defending Stanley-Cup champions who defeated them final June within the semifinals.

“I assumed we got here out with good intention. I assumed we have been skating and shifting the puck rather well,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz stated. “For essentially the most half, I preferred our power. They’d a push and so they did not get a lot out of it … and we stood up for one another. Good win for us.”

Nelson opened the scoring together with his team-leading thirty seventh aim at 10:48 of the primary interval on the facility play. Mathew Barzal and Noah Dobson assisted.

Lee made it 2-0 at 15:34 on the facility play, tipping the puck previous Washington goaltender Vitek Vanecek for his twenty eighth aim. Barzal and Dobson every assisted once more.

The aim was the 212th of Lee’s profession, shifting forward of Derek King into tenth place in Islanders historical past. Lee additionally performed his 595th recreation with the franchise, passing John Tonelli, who has 206 profession objectives. Lee, Tonelli and King have all worn No. 27 for the Islanders.

Dobson leads the protection with 37 assists and 50 factors total.

“Right now was an ideal recreation for Noah, for me, as a result of he let the sport come to him,” Trotz stated of the third-year defenseman. “He was good on either side of the puck and he nonetheless produced. And 50 factors is effective fairness in right this moment’s recreation as a result of it is so onerous to attain as it’s … There’s been plenty of progress in plenty of areas.”

Pageau scored his seventeenth on a breakaway at 3:44 of the third simply after the Islanders killed off a four-minute power-play for Washington when Adam Pelech was assessed two minor penalties for cross-checking on the identical play.

Palmieri made it 4-0 at 6:23 together with his fifteenth aim, additionally on a person benefit. Josh Bailey and Robin Salo assisted. The aim was the 2 hundredth of Palmieri’s profession.

Bailey added his thirteenth at 13:37 with one other help to Barzal, who has a team-best 43 assists.

Varlamov’s shutout was ruined with 41.4 seconds left on a aim by Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, the second of the season for the 24-year-old rookie ahead from Sweden.

Vanecek made 21 saves in defeat for the Capitals.

“Particular groups did not go our manner tonight. It appeared like we had plenty of beauty however we could not get to the inside,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette stated. “They’re a good workforce defensively.”

The Islanders have been coming off a 4-1 victory at Washington on Tuesday when Ryan Pulock and Dobson every scored energy play objectives as New York snapped a five-game winless streak. That win ended the Islanders’ highway season at 17-19-5.

The Islanders are lacking the playoffs for the primary time since 2017-18, the yr earlier than Trotz turned the workforce’s coach. After reaching the Japanese Convention Finals twice in a row, the present season was a letdown nearly from the beginning.

After a 13-game season-beginning highway journey, they went 0-5-2 of their preliminary seven video games on the new UBS Enviornment beginning in late November.

They then needed to endure lacking a number of gamers with COVID-19 on many nights throughout November and December. They are going to have performed 33 video games over the past two months of the season, making up postponed video games in a condensed schedule.

“Simply while you began feeling good we bought shut down or Covid would hit. There wasn’t a defining second that we might seize on to or grasp on to and go on a run,” Trotz stated. “And the second a part of the season, the schedule was powerful and immune techniques are fairly nicely shot … However the core group does consider there’s a good hockey workforce right here.”

Washington remained one level behind Pittsburgh for third place within the Metropolitan Division with every workforce having one recreation remaining on Friday.

“We knew they might be working onerous,” Capitals ahead Anthony Mantha stated. “We have to have an amazing recreation tomorrow and end robust.”

TOUGH HOME SLEDDING:

The Islanders are ending their dwelling season by dealing with 5 consecutive opponents (Florida, the Rangers, Carolina, Washington and Tampa Bay) who had not less than 100 factors after they performed them. It’s only the second time in NHL historical past that has occurred – Montreal did this beforehand in 1971-72.

NOTES: The Capitals blanked the Islanders 2-0 on Jan. fifteenth of their earlier assembly at UBS Enviornment … The Islanders are 3-2-1 of their final six dwelling video games towards Washington … The Islanders scratched defenseman Ryan Pulock and ahead Ross Johnston and continued to be with out injured ahead Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Scott Mayfield … Capitals main scorer Alexander Ovechkin didn’t gown … Washington additionally scratched defensemen Matt Irwin and Michal Kempny plus heart Connor McMichael.

Up Subsequent:

Islanders: Host Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday to conclude common season.

Capitals: Go to New York Rangers on Friday earlier than beginning the playoffs subsequent week.