Islanders' Semyon Varlamov: Starting in Carolina

Varlamov will defend the visiting crease in Carolina on Saturday for Game 1, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.

Varlamov took over for Ilya Sorokin as New York's No. 1 netminder down the stretch, starting in seven of the Islanders' last 11 regular-season games. Varlamov won his last five starts, ending the season with a 14-8-4 record to go with a 2.60 GAA and a .918 save percentage, Varlamov stopped 39 shots in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Hurricanes in his lone appearance against the team this season Nov. 30.