The New York Islanders have a real lineup decision for the first time in 5 months. Should Semyon Varlamov or Thomas Greiss get the start in the net? Varlamov got blown up in game 2 but has been solid during the bubble. Greiss is the fresher goalie, even though he just fought off 20+ shots in game 2. This decision is the biggest decision Barry Trotz has had to make in his entire tenure with the Islanders. Game 3 is a gamechanger in many ways. Whoever wins not only takes a 2-1 lead in the series but rolls with tons of momentum into game 4. Who’s the better choice to lead the Isles to a 2-1 series lead?
Why Semyon Varlamov Should Start
Semyon Varlamov is one of the best goalies in all of the bubble. If you take away this game, he had a 1.50 GAA with a .941 save percentage. Sadly, you can’t just forget about a game like this. Varlamov was beaten stick side three times and put the team in a hole very early on. Even though he had a bad game, Varlamov left the game around 6-7 minutes into the game, so he’s a fresh body for game 3. Varlamov is most likely ready to go back out there and show that his past performances weren’t flukes. The team and the fans respect and feel comfortable when “Varly” is in the net.
Why Thomas Greiss Should Start
Thomas Greiss was nothing short of excellent today, even though the Islanders came up short. Greiss’ only mistake of the game, wasn’t even his fault, it bounced off Anders Lee and sadly went in. Greiss is also a fresh body, even though he just played basically a full game. Thomas Greiss is a veteran goalie with a ton of playoff experience. There’s no reason for Greiss not to play other than Varlamov being the more talented goalie.
Conclusion
Whoever Barry Trotz chooses, the team must deliver tomorrow. There is no excuse to lose to the Flyers. The Islanders have and will continue to be the better team.