Semyon Varlamov of the Islanders grabs a drink prior to Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Flyers during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday in Toronto. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa
Throughout the entirety of the NHL’s restart, Barry Trotz’s public position regarding his goaltenders has been that no matter which goalie he opted to play in the playoffs – Semyon Varlamov or Thomas Greiss – he couldn’t make a bad choice.
The Islanders coach started Varlamov in each of the first 11 games of the postseason, but after pulling him in the first period of Game 2 of the Isles’ second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday, and replacing him with Greiss, the question of which goalie Trotz would turn to was back on the table when the Isles resumed their playoff run Saturday night in Game 3 of the series.