Varlamov has 36 saves as Islanders beat Golden Knights 5-2

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Semyon Varlamov stopped 36 shots before being pulled in the third period and the New York Islanders beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 on Saturday night.

Zach Parise and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee, Hudson Faschling, Simon Holmstrom also scored for New York, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau had two assists. New York won for just the second time in six games (2-3-1).

Varlamov left with 6:22 remaining and was replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who stopped the only shot he faced the rest of the way. There was no immediate explanation for the change.

Reilly Smith had two power-play goals for the Golden Knights, who had won six of their previous nine games. Vegas, which is 14-2-1 on the road, fell to 8-8 at home.

The Golden Knights also lost captain Mark Stone as he was helped off the ice with 8:20 left after being hit by a shot from teammate Phil Kessel.

Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo returned after missing his previous nine games because of a serious illness for his 4-year-old daughter, Evelyn. She returned home this week from a Las Vegas hospital after coming down with the flu, which led to encephalitis.

Pietrangelo said he felt comfortable enough with his daughter’s recovery to be back with the Knights. He assisted on Smith’s goal in the third period and later was assessed a tripping penalty.

The Islanders took a 1-0 lead with 1:02 left in the first period when Anthony Beauvillier found Lee in the slot for his 10th.

New York’s Casey Cizikas was called for boarding at the end of the period, putting the Knights on the power play to open the second. Vegas took advantage at 1:12 with a goal off a rebound by Smith to tie it.

Fasching gave the Islanders the lead right back 3:20 later, and Holmstrom made it 3-1 with 2:23 left in the second. It was the first career goal for Holmstrom, a rookie who was drafted by the Islanders in the first round in 2019 (23rd overall).

Cizikas nearly extended New York’s lead at the end of the second period, but the officials ruled his goal came just after the clock expired.

Smith’s second power-play goal early in the third brought the Knights to 3-2. He has four goals in and six points in the past three games.

Parise and Nelson had empty-netters in the final 90 seconds to seal the win.

NOTES

The Islanders announced forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri are day to day with upper-body injuries. … Vegas’ Chandler Stephenson extended his points streak to four games (one goal, six assists). … New York’s Sebastian Aho (one goal, two assists) has points in three consecutive games. Nelson (one goal, three assists) also has a point in three straight games.

UP NEXT

Islanders: At Colorado on Monday night.

Golden Knights: Host Buffalo on Monday night.

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