The New York Islanders beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 in a shootout at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night, a win that carried extra weight for goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who picked up his first NHL victory since Nov. 14, 2024.
Varlamov made 20 saves in regulation and overtime before Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat converted in the shootout to secure the win. It was his fourth start of the season and, by most accounts, his sharpest.
The 712 days between wins included two partial knee replacements and months of rehabilitation. His last win, in Vancouver, came under a different coach and general manager, with a roster that at the time included Matt Martin, who is now an Islanders front office advisor. Varlamov was injured at the end of November 2024, and many wondered whether his career was finished.
How the game unfolded
The Islanders controlled much of the night, especially early. Early in the second period, they strung together nearly a minute of uninterrupted puck movement before Matthew Schaefer fed Horvat for a one-timer past Predators goaltender Juuse Saros, making it 3-0.
Nashville clawed back from there. On a Brayden Schenn hooking penalty, Filip Forsberg scored off a no-look pass from Jonathan Marchessault just 14 seconds into the power play, cutting the lead to 3-1 at 9:42 of the second period. A few minutes later, a turnover by Schaefer let Alexander Kerfoot pull the Predators within one, 3-2.
Nashville tied it in the third period at 4:16 when Daemon Hunt’s shot squeezed through Varlamov before Ryan O’Reilly poked it in. The Islanders had to survive some anxious defensive shifts late in regulation to force overtime.
Overtime brought more frustration for New York’s power play — the team couldn’t convert on a lengthy man advantage despite keeping Schaefer, Horvat and Simon Holmstrom on the ice for well over four minutes. The game went to a shootout, where Palmieri and Horvat delivered the winning goals.
A tough building for the Islanders
The win also broke a longer trend: the Islanders hadn’t won at Bridgestone Arena since 2017, and had suffered several unusual losses there in recent years.
Coach Pete DeBoer had used 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the game, after calling the team’s previous loss in Dallas its first poor performance of the season. The response in Nashville — physical play, crisp passing and strong puck pressure — was seen as evidence the message got through.
The Islanders will need that form going forward. Their next three games are on the road at Minnesota and then at home against the Oilers and Hurricanes, all Stanley Cup contenders.
