Hockey

Vladar Injured, Varlamov Returns in NHL Preseason Action

By Hugo Brennan

Vladar Injured, Varlamov Returns in NHL Preseason Action

Preseason hockey brought a rough exit for Philadelphia’s No. 1 goaltender, a long-awaited return for Semyon Varlamov and a string of lineup auditions across the league Tuesday night. Dan Vladar left the Flyers’ 5-1 loss in Boston with an upper-body injury, while the Islanders erased a three-goal deficit against the Rangers behind Varlamov’s spotless relief outing.

Vladar leaves as Bruins pull away

Vladar was hurt at 13:31 of the opening period at TD Garden, immediately after Michael Eyssimont redirected Frederic Brunet’s shot from the slot for Boston’s first goal. Aleksei Kolosov took over for Philadelphia during the stoppage.

The start was Vladar’s first of the preseason after he went 29-14-7 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in his first Flyers season, a campaign that established him as Philadelphia’s top netminder. He stopped six of seven shots before leaving. Kolosov turned aside 14 shots in relief.

  1. Jacob Gaucher pulled Philadelphia even at 18:06 of the first period, driving down the left wing and lifting a finish over Jeremy Swayman’s blocker.
  2. Morgan Geekie put Boston back in front on the power play at 5:19 of the third, deflecting David Pastrnak’s pass from the slot.
  3. Brian Halonen made it 3-1 at 7:43 by cleaning up a rebound at the edge of the crease.
  4. Elias Lindholm converted a one-timer at 14:49 after working a give-and-go with Nikita Zadorov from the corner.
  5. Eyssimont added his second at 18:47 to complete the 5-1 final.

Eyssimont had two goals, Brunet collected two assists and Swayman made 20 saves for the Bruins, who moved to 2-0-0. The Flyers fell to 0-2-0.

Varlamov’s return powers Islanders comeback

At Madison Square Garden, Varlamov made his first NHL appearance in nearly two years and stopped all 10 shots he faced as the Islanders rallied for a 4-3 win over the Rangers.

The 38-year-old replaced Ilya Sorokin midway through the second period. It was Varlamov’s first game for New York since Nov. 29, 2024, when a knee injury began a 22-month rehabilitation process following double partial knee replacements.

Varlamov said the win and the reception from teammates meant plenty, even in exhibition play. He said the defensive work in front of him was especially encouraging, with the Islanders limiting odd-man chances and backdoor opportunities as he got reacquainted with NHL pace.

  1. Cole Beaudoin scored from the crease during a delayed penalty at 8:23 of the first to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
  2. Pavel Dorofeyev drilled a one-timer from the left circle at 6:03 of the second, then Taylor Raddysh pushed the Rangers ahead 3-0 at 7:20.
  3. Kyle MacLean began the Islanders’ push at 11:36, finishing near the right post.
  4. Matthew Schaefer cut the deficit to one with a power-play goal at 17:47 of the second.
  5. Matias Maccelli’s cross-ice pass went in off Rangers defenseman Sean Durzi’s skate at 4:02 of the third, tying the game.
  6. Maccelli scored again at 9:29, backhanding in the rebound from Schaefer’s point shot for the winner.

Maccelli finished with two goals and an assist, while Schaefer recorded a goal and two assists for the Islanders, now 1-1-0. Sorokin allowed three goals on nine shots before Varlamov entered.

Dorofeyev was making his Rangers debut after arriving from the Vegas Golden Knights in a June 26 trade. He signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with an $11 million average annual value four days later. Igor Shesterkin stopped 18 shots before Spencer Martin allowed two goals on eight third-period shots. The Rangers are 0-2-0.

Panthers get precautionary update on Tkachuk

Brady Tkachuk did not return for the third period of Florida’s 3-2 shootout loss to Carolina at Lenovo Center. Panthers coach Paul Maurice described the issue as minor tightness and a precaution, saying Tkachuk could be back on the ice Wednesday.

Tkachuk had a goal and an assist in 9:40 of ice time, with his final shift ending 29 seconds before the second intermission. Aleksander Barkov also posted a goal and an assist for Florida, which slipped to 1-1-0.

  1. Tkachuk opened the scoring at 4:31 of the first period, snapping Sam Reinhart’s feed past Brandon Bussi.
  2. Bradly Nadeau answered at 7:00, finishing Mike Reilly’s rebound.
  3. Barkov restored Florida’s lead 18 seconds later, scoring off an odd-man rush set up by Tkachuk.
  4. Justin Robidas tied it at 11:25 of the second, taking the puck from the left wall and beating Akira Schmid on the short side.
  5. Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum scored in the shootout, while Cayden Primeau denied both Florida attempts.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 12 of 13 shots before Schmid relieved him midway through the second and made 12 saves. For Carolina, Bussi stopped 11 of 13 before Primeau took over and made 20 saves. The Hurricanes are 1-1-0 after Florida beat them 6-3 in Sunrise on Sunday.

Detroit’s third-period burst sinks Pittsburgh

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard scored twice and Anton Johansson handed out four assists as Detroit beat Pittsburgh 7-4 at PPG Paints Arena. The Red Wings took command with three goals in a 4:22 stretch of the third period.

  1. Nick Robertson gave Pittsburgh a short-handed lead at 7:19 of the first, skating in from the neutral zone, getting around Theo Rochette and beating John Gibson on the blocker side.
  2. Brandsegg-Nygard tied it at 18:23 with a one-timer from the right circle off Nate Danielson’s pass.
  3. Mason Appleton scored on a rebound at 4:26 of the second, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka made it 3-1 just 31 seconds later on a one-timer set up by Viktor Arvidsson.
  4. Rickard Rakell brought Pittsburgh within 3-2 at 12:22, spinning near the right post and scoring on a wrist shot.
  5. Brandsegg-Nygard’s power-play rebound goal at 5:37 of the third gave Detroit a 4-2 cushion.
  6. Kaedan Korczak scored at 6:55 for Pittsburgh, but Ondrej Becher, Wilmer Skoog and Jesse Kiiskinen scored for Detroit between 9:24 and 13:46.
  7. Rutger McGroarty scored at 17:47 to close the scoring.

Gibson made 22 saves over two periods before Trey Augustine allowed two goals on eight third-period shots. Arvidsson had an assist in his Detroit debut after signing a two-year, $10 million deal on July 1. Ben Chiarot added two assists.

Robertson had a goal and an assist in his Pittsburgh debut after the Penguins acquired him from Toronto for a 2028 fourth-round pick on July 1. He later signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract. Korczak, acquired from Vegas for Parker Wotherspoon on June 30, had a goal and an assist in his first Penguins game.

Twin brothers Liam and Markus Ruck also made their Pittsburgh debuts on the same line. Liam, selected 22nd overall in the 2026 NHL Draft, had two assists in 12:58 on the right wing. Markus, the No. 39 pick, recorded an assist in 10:03 at center. Arturs Silovs allowed seven goals on 23 shots. Detroit is 1-0-1; Pittsburgh is 1-1-0.

Ostlund’s quick strike carries Buffalo

Noah Ostlund scored twice in 28 seconds during the second period and Buffalo rolled past Columbus 5-1 at KeyBank Center.

  1. Josh Norris opened the scoring at 10:12 of the second, blasting Owen Power’s pass from the right faceoff dot.
  2. Ostlund scored into an open net at 11:54 after Zach Benson’s attempt hit the crossbar.
  3. At 12:22, Ostlund finished a one-timer from the right circle on a 2-on-1 feed from Benson.
  4. Conor Timmins extended Buffalo’s lead to 4-0 at 3:53 of the third.
  5. Tage Thompson made it 5-0 at 14:32 before Corson Ceulemans scored for Columbus at 16:19.

Thompson had a goal and an assist, Power supplied three assists and Benson had two helpers. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped all 13 shots he faced before Colten Ellis allowed one goal on 13 third-period shots.

Cam Talbot, who signed a one-year, $950,000 deal with Columbus on Sept. 14, made 23 saves through two periods. Evan Gardner yielded two goals on nine shots in the third. Both the Sabres and Blue Jackets are 1-1-0.