Patrick Roy returned to Cadillac in favor of Ferrari in Game 4 against the Hurricanes on Saturday, and the Islanders won 3-2 in overtime.
In Roy’s analogy, the experienced Semyon Varlamov is “comfortable,” while the young and flashy Ilya Sorokin may be “a little unstable.”
Comfort is exactly what Varlamov provided.
The 36-year-old scored two points on 44 shots and Mathew Barzal scored in the second overtime as the Islanders forced a Game 5.
The Hurricanes forced 11 fewer turnovers while doubling up on the Isles on power-play opportunities, and Varlamov remained solid despite ceding momentum to Carolina after the second period.
Islanders vs. Hurricanes Game 5 prediction
(7:30 p.m. ET, TBS)
| team | pack line | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| islanders | +1.5 (-205) | +190 | o5.5(-106) |
| hurricane | -1.5 (+120) | -235 | u5.5 (-115) |
In fact, Varlamov has been at his best when faced with dangerous scoring situations. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has allowed one goal in 38 games in this series.
Varlamov is third-best overall as of Monday with a better-than-expected 4.7 goals saved.
Frederick Andersson, who played flawlessly through four games, finished fifth with a 2.2 xGSA.
The Isles are overwhelmed trying to keep pace with the Canes, but are battling a tough play with some frantic hockey.
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If Varlamov’s engine continues to run smoothly, this could be a concrete recipe for another low-scoring elimination game on Tuesday, with Carolina leading 3-1.
Carolina is the favorite to finish this first round series and head to home against the Rangers, who eliminated the Capitals with a four-game sweep on Sunday, at -235.
BetRivers has +190 odds for the Islanders to return the series to Long Island in Game 6.
THE PLAY: Islanders vs. Hurricanes under 5.5 goals (-115, BetRivers)
