Semyon Varlamov Shines in 3-1 Islanders Win (Highlights)

The New York Islanders returned home and played their best game in a very long time tonight against the Boston Bruins. In the first, the Islanders came out flying. They were generating chances, and for a while weren't able to convert.

That changed when Cal Clutterbuck was gifted the puck on his stick and made no mistake about finding the back of the net:

It's exactly what the Islanders needed and how about that quick shot from Cal too on the loose puck? Good stuff. There wasn't much else to note in the first period. Semyon Varlamov did look shaky though at the start of this game before settling in during the second period.

He just didn't track the puck well and was consistently out of position. Again, thankfully, that changed in the second period but he was for sure not himself at the start.

At the start of the second, Cal Clutterbuck took a high stick to the face sending the Isles to the power play. Anthony Beauviller, fresh off a scratching and a scoring drought, finds his first point since November 4.

Varlamov stood on his head for the remainder of this period as he came up big with 21 saves in the period. The Islanders generated a lot of chances too with 12 but Boston just had the puck for what felt like an eternity in that second frame.

The third period was very sloppy for both sides. Each team had two penalties so there wasn't a lot of 5v5 time at least for the first half of the period. Also, Kyle Palmieri wasn't seen on the bench to start the third either which is something to take note of.

Eventually, the Bruins were forced to pull their goalie and Cal Clutterbuck grabbed his second goal of the night. Unfortunately, they just couldn't seal the shutout as a goal from Mike Reilly snuck through with 54 seconds left in the game.

Varly deserved a shutout with how he played, but unfortunately tonight wasn't his night as he stopped 40 of 41 for a .976 save percentage. The Islanders were back in the win column taking this one 3-1 and will play next on Sunday afternoon against Vegas.