Varlamov gets 1st NHL win since 2024, Islanders edge Predators in shootout

NASHVILLE -- Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves for his first NHL win since Nov. 14, 2024, and the New York Islanders recovered from blowing a three-goal lead to defeat the Nashville Predators, 4-3 in a shootout at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday.

Varlamov was 0-1-2 over his past three starts in his return to the NHL this season after having each of his knees partially replaced. The 38-year-old played two games at the end of last season with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. He won both, allowing a total of three goals (.939 save percentage).

“It's an amazing feeling. A very special moment,” Varlamov said. “A year ago, to be honest with you, I didn't see this coming. It was such a grind the last two years to get to this point, where you have an opportunity to play and compete at the highest level in the world. I'm very thankful for this opportunity. I just want to thank everybody who was involved in my rehab, the surgery and everything. I'm very, very proud of everybody.”

Brayden Schenn scored his 300th NHL goal, and Anthony Duclair and Bo Horvat also scored for the Islanders (6-4-2), who are 2-1-1 in their past four games.

Kyle Palmieri and Horvat scored in the shootout for New York.

“I'm just so happy for (Varlamov),” Horvat said. “It’s been a long time coming, and he's been playing well up to this point, and to finally see him get that win the way he did, making big saves and pulling through for him, it definitely feels good for us.”

Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist, and Juuse Saros made 25 saves for the Predators (4-3-5), who have lost three of their past four (1-1-2).

“The start of the game wasn’t where we wanted to be,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I don’t know, I’m trying to put my finger on it. It seems like it’s been a year (or) year and a half of talking about this, but we’re having trouble grabbing it. All in all, I liked the grit and resilience to come back.”

Duclair gave the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 3:07 of the first period with the teams skating 4-on-4 when he tipped in a centering pass from Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

Schenn made it 2-0 at 8:07. Duclair sent a pass to the slot, and the puck deflected off Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague’s stick to Ondrej Palat, who fed Schenn for a backhanded tap-in.

Horvat extended the lead to 3-0 at 1:08 of the second period, one-timing Matthew Schaefer's cross-ice feed from the right face-off circle.

The Predators made it 3-1 when Forsberg buried a no-look pass from Jonathan Marchessault at the near post for a power-play goal at 9:42.

Alex Kerfoot trimmed Nashville’s deficit to 3-2 at 13:02 by poking in a puck that trickled behind Varlamov in the crease following a shot from Nils Hoglander.

O’Reilly tied it 3-3 at 4:16 of the third period, backhanding a rebound that Varlamov was unable to locate off a shot from Daemon Hunt. The assist was Hunt's first point since being claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

“It definitely took us a little too long to get going,” O’Reilly said. “… That game was very winnable. It’s on our leadership group to focus the (team).”

Varlamov stopped Nashville’s final five shots in regulation and kept O’Reilly and Forsberg off the board in the shootout.

“He was huge when we needed him to be,” New York coach Peter DeBoer said. “He's building his game. After missing all that time, I think every night that we've rolled him out there, he's been a little bit better and a little bit more comfortable. He was our best player tonight.”

NOTES: The Islanders were 0-4-3 in Nashville dating back to Oct. 28, 2017. ... Schenn is the eighth player from the 2009 NHL Draft to reach 300 NHL goals. … Schaefer, who extended his point streak to five games (two goals, three assists), became the seventh defenseman in League history to record at least 70 points (25 goals, 45 assists) as a teenager. ... Schaefer played all five minutes of overtime, becoming the first skater on record to do so since real-time TOI data started being officially tracked in 2009-10. He also logged the longest shift by an Islanders skater on record, besting the previous mark set by Casey Cizikas (4:50 on March 9, 2023). ... Varlamov posted his 77th win with New York and tied Roland Melanson for eighth place on the franchise’s all-time list. ... Each team used 11 forwards and seven defensemen.