Varlamov, Islanders shut out Senators

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Semyon Varlamov made 24 saves for the New York Islanders in a 3-0 win against the Ottawa Senators at UBS Arena on Tuesday.

It was Varlamov's first shutout this season and 35th of his NHL career. He is 3-0-1 in his past four starts after beginning the season 3-12-1.
"Off the top of my head, it probably maybe [looked] a little like the Colorado game (a 5-4 loss on March 7) where we didn't really play that well for the first two periods and [Varlamov] kept us in it," New York center Brock Nelson said. "So it was nice to turn it and get him a win, and then a shutout on top of it. I'm sure it means a lot to him. It's huge when goalies get that.
"I've said it more often than not that they (Varlamov, Ilya Sorokin) give us chances to win, so it was nice to get that for him."
Scott Mayfield and Anders Lee each had a goal and an assist, and Nelson had three assists for the Islanders (27-25-9), who are 6-1-1 in their past eight games.
"You just have to sometimes play the cards that are dealt," New York coach Barry Trotz said. "They were jamming it up, they were throwing pucks to the net, they were going to the crease hard. We have to just play through that. We were a little bit loose with the puck … we were going a little bit too much east-west. It looked like we were accomplishing something, but we really weren't accomplishing a whole lot.
"We got some good saves that we needed and a couple (penalty) kills. I thought in the third we just upped our game. We just recognized that we can't mess around through the neutral zone and had to play a little quicker and be patient, and we did."

Anton Forsberg made 24 saves for the Senators (22-36-5), who have lost five of six.
"Both teams had chances," Ottawa center Chris Tierney said. "We had some good looks in the first, second, even the third. They found a way to get one. In a game like that, whoever scores first usually wins."
Mayfield gave New York a 1-0 lead at 9:49 of the third period, shooting short side after Nelson's centering pass was blocked by Dylan Gambrell. It was Mayfield's third goal of the season and first since Jan. 21 (28 games).
Lee pounced on a loose puck in front at 17:25 to make it 2-0, and Zach Parise scored an empty-net goal with 47 seconds left for the 3-0 final.
"Definitely a cloggy game for the first couple (of periods), and I think we played a better third period, a little more straightforward," Lee said. "We made an emphasis on really working in the [offensive] zone as much as possible and eliminated our turnovers."
Varlamov made 13 saves in the first period, including against Tierney on a breakaway at 14:03.
"To get a save like that after a little scrum, it's definitely big, it keeps us in the game," Islanders center Casey Cizikas said. "He played well all night."

Forsberg kept it scoreless at 16:58 of the second period with a stick save on Josh Bailey's wrist shot from the slot, and at 18:34 with a blocker save against Parise.
Mathew Barzal nearly gave New York the lead at 8:46 of the third, but Forsberg made a glove save on his breakaway chance. Mayfield scored 1:03 later.
"Great 50 minutes," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "We broke first. We give up a breakaway to Barzal, we get hemmed in our zone, and it ends up going in our net. You've got to be willing to stay 0-0. I thought we broke first. Like I said, we give up that breakaway to Barzal, if we just stay above him, stay above him, maybe we're in overtime right now. But we didn't."
NOTES: It was Mayfield's fourth multipoint game this season. Three have come against the Senators. … Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck (maintenance) missed his second straight game. He signed a two-year contract Monday. … New York defenseman Andy Greene returned after missing a 2-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, also for maintenance. He blocked two shots and was plus-1 in 19:31 of ice time. … Forward Mathieu Joseph made his debut with Ottawa after being acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. He had one shot, one hit and one block in 15:31. … Senators defenseman Michael Del Zotto played his first NHL game since Nov. 27 after being recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Monday. He had two shots on goal and was minus-1 in 17:55. … Defenseman Travis Hamonic, who was acquired by the Senators in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, is expected to join the team Wednesday and could play at the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.