Varlamov blanks Flyers in series opener
Semyon Varlamov posted his second straight shutout as the New York Islanders used a balanced scoring attack to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 in the opening game of their playoff series on Monday.
New York Islanders Semyon Varlamov stops a shot against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period in game one of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs in Toronto. GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/ELSA
Andy Greene, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Anders Lee and Devon Toews each scored in game one of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series in the NHL’s quarantine bubble in Toronto.
Varlamov made all 29 saves and stretched his shutout streak to 136 minutes, 20 seconds. He made 21 saves in a 4-0 win over the Washington Capitals in game five of their first round series.
The second game of the best-of-seven series will be played Wednesday.
Goaltender Carter Hart stopped 25 shots for the top seeded Flyers who eliminated the Montreal Canadiens in six games in the first round.
The Islanders outshot Philadelphia 15-4 and scored once in the first period before igniting for three goals in the third.
Pageau, with his fifth of the playoffs, beat Hart from the front of the net early in the third to make it 2-0.
Lee, on a pass from Canadian star Mathew Barzal, and Toews, into an empty net late, rounded out the scoring in the final period.
