Varlamov, Islanders see dream end in OT in Game 6 against Lightning

Anders Lee needed a few seconds to collect himself in the media room at Rogers Place in Edmonton, where the New York Islanders' season ended 370 days after it began in a 2-1 overtime loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday.

"Until that very last minute, it's just … every single one of us believed in each other and what we were doing and the road we were on," the Islanders captain said. "Obviously we come up short, but there's just a huge sense of pride right now in every single one of those guys in our room and everyone involved …"
Lee then leaned away from the microphone and back against his chair. It was hard to find the right words, or any words, really, after New York fell two wins shy of its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 1984.
It's even tougher knowing their goalie stood on his head from the drop of puck. Semyon Varlamov made 46 saves in Game 6, including 15 in the third period to push it to sudden death. It took a shot he never saw from Lightning center Anthony Cirelli on the doorstep, a bang-bang play after a pass from behind the net by forward Barclay Goodrow.
"It's disappointing, of course. You want to go to the Final," Varlamov said. "I think we had a chance to go to the Final and play there, but we lost so the season's over."
RELATED: [Complete Lightning vs. Islanders series coverage]
The Islanders got the start they wanted, scoring first for the fifth straight game, a wraparound from defenseman Devon Toews at 4:15 of the first period. But just as they did in each of the previous four games, the Lightning struck right back. Varlamov left a rebound in the slot for Victor Hedman, who scored his ninth of the postseason at 6:28 to tie it 1-1.
The Islanders regrouped, but Varlamov was denied a second straight wild celebration after he dove from center ice into the pile when Jordan Eberle scored at 12:30 of the second overtime in Game 5 two nights earlier that briefly extended New York's season. He was denied a victory despite helping the Islanders kill off another four-minute high sticking penalty late in the game, this time by Islanders defenseman Andy Greene, who made contact with the face of Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov with 23 seconds remaining in the third period.
Much like they did to Anthony Beauvillier's similar penalty late in Game 5, New York survived the four minutes. Brock Nelson, arguably the Islanders' most consistent forward all postseason, nearly won it shorthanded at 2:24 of overtime, when he stripped defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk of the puck at the Lightning blue line and skated in alone but couldn't lift the puck over goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy's glove.
"When Brock stole that puck, I thought, 'it's only fitting,'" Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "We've been battling through the penalties and these different situations, I thought it was going to be our time to get it to Game 7. Unfortunately, their goaltender, he's good. They've got a great team."

New York played without top-pair defenseman Adam Pelech, who sustained an Achilles injury Jan. 2 and missed the remainder of the regular season but was his old self when the NHL returned to play with the Stanley Cup Qualifiers on Aug. 1. Trotz said Pelech was injured early in Game 5 on Tuesday and will need to have surgery.
With Pelech out, Trotz turned to defenseman Noah Dobson, a first-round pick (No. 12) in 2018 who did not look out of place in his first NHL postseason game. The 20-year-old played 12:55 with poise and provided a glimpse of what's to come.
"[Dobson] will be a big part of the future, and the now I guess, because we'll be into the next season very shortly here," Trotz said. "He'll be a big part of it going forward. … The young guys, they're all trending in the right way for us."
The Islanders are naturally disappointed their two-bubble journey came to an end after 53 days, a journey some thought would end in Toronto against the Florida Panthers in the Qualifiers. But they're optimistic about what's ahead.
Prized goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin was with them in Toronto and Edmonton and is penciled in as Varlamov's backup next season. More young players such as forwards Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows will vie for spots in training camp, whenever it begins.
And they're 13 months away from opening UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, the state-of-the-art facility they've been seeking for two decades.
"We're trying to still process it right now, but I think moving forward, our room, it's going to be nice to move forward with these guys," Lee said.
Can they put together a similar run -- or longer -- next season?
"I don't see why not," Lee said. "I can't speak volumes more about this group and our guys and the pride we take in going out there every night and playing."