NEW YORK — Semyon Varlamov is the wily veteran, coming off a season in which he set career bests in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for the New York Islanders.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is the league’s wins leader over the past four years for the Tampa Bay Lightning, coming off a Stanley Cup championship season and vying for his second Vezina Trophy in three years.
“He’s been the best goalie in the NHL last couple of years,” Varlamov said of his counterpart. “He’s outstanding.”
The two were on Russia’s World Cup of Hockey squad in 2016, playing behind starter Sergei Bobrovsky.