#Semyon Varlamov admits to ‘mistake’ that cost Islanders sweep

A rare penalty called on Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov early in the third period changed the whole trajectory of Game 3 against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a 1-1 game as the third period started and Varlamov found the puck on his stick just seconds in. As Panthers skaters began to converge on him, Varlamov botched his handling of the puck and brought it outside the trapezoid and into the restricted area — the pie slice in the corner — that goaltenders aren’t allowed to play the puck below the goal line.

“Yeah I made a mistake on that play, very simple,” Varlamov said on a Zoom call following the 3-2 loss. “I should’ve handled the puck better, it cost us a goal.”

The NHL’s Restricted Area rule says that a goaltender “shall not play the puck outside of the designated area behind the net.” The area is defined by lines that begin six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points twenty-eight feet apart at the end of the boards.

The penalty was called seven seconds into the third and the Panthers wasted no time in capitalizing as Mike Hoffman’s one-timer gave Florida a one-goal lead 34 seconds later. The goal rattled the Islanders, and they never quite got back to their level of play for the remainder of the game.

Panthers fourth-line center Brian Boyle made it a 3-1 game roughly two minutes later.

“They have a dangerous power play, they have a lot of skilled guys,” Varlamov said of the Panthers’ power play. “We know that, you know? They have a couple things they’re doing really well and we just need to cut our mistakes and play a little bit more desperate.”

---

The Islanders’ penalty kill allowed two goals out of the Panthers’ five man-advantage opportunities.

“We knew what we had to do. Obviously, we have to give them credit, they’re moving the puck really well, they have some really good shooters,” said J-G Pageau, who recorded his second goal of the series Wednesday. “I always say your best [penalty killer] is your goalie and I thought he did a great job tonight.

“Obviously, winning faceoffs is key on the penalty kill and that’s not something that, personally, I was able to do tonight. I can take the blame for that.”

The Panthers held a slight advantage from the faceoff circle, winning 26 (54.2 percent) compared with the Isles’ 22. But going 0-for-3 on the power play and allowing two goals on the penalty kill ultimately discombobulated the Islanders.

“We were playing East-West, we weren’t playing very North tonight,” Trotz said. “In playoff hockey, you have to play North. We started playing slow, East-West hockey, and when you do that, you turn pucks over, you get on the wrong side of people and you end up taking penalties.”