Hudson Fasching will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Martin to re-enter the lineup after a three-game absence. Matt Martin has only played two games this season, averaging 9:34 time-on-ice, but has been his usual bruting self, racking up five hits.
After serving as the backup to Ilya Sorokin for three straight games (2-1-0), Varlamov will return to the crease for the Islanders on Thursday. The 36-year-old Varlamov, a 17-year veteran, has an excellent 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% over his career but has a far less impressive 3.21 GAA and .876 SV% through five games this season (1-3-1). The Islanders enter the action on Thursday as +120 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators club that has only scored five combined goals in their previous three games (1-2-0).
After serving as the backup to Ilya Sorokin for three straight games (2-1-0), Varlamov will likely return to the crease for the Islanders on Thursday. The 36-year-old Varlamov, a 17-year veteran, has an excellent 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% over his career but has a far less impressive 3.21 GAA and .876 SV% through five games this season (1-3-1). The Islanders enter the action on Thursday as +120 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators club that has only scored five combined goals in their previous three games (1-2-0).
Perunovich has been in and out of the Blues' lineup the past two weeks but will return for his fourth game of the season on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 26-year-old Perunovich is averaging 11:15 time-on-ice and has zero points through three games this season.
Romanov is inching closer to a return, being a game-time decision in the last two contests, but will remain out of the lineup for a fifth straight game. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
George was the fourth-round pick, 98th overall, of the Islanders in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old defenseman has two points (1G / 1A) in four games with the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL) this season, his first professional campaign.
Bolduc made his season debut on Sunday in a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers, playing 5:56 time-on-ice and recording a -1 plus/minus. His reassignment to the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL) likely indicates that Alexander Romanov (upper body) could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After seeing sporadic deployment in the first four weeks of the season, splitting time with Semyon Varlamov, Sorokin will make his third consecutive start for the Islanders on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite allowing seven combined goals in his last two outings (1-1-0), Sorokin has been tremendous between the pipes this season, posting a stellar 2.29 GAA and .922 SV% in seven contests (3-3-1). The Islanders will face off against a Penguins team riding a season-best two-game winning streak despite allowing 50 goals this season, the most in the Eastern Conference.
