Semyon Varlamov's COVID-19 protocol complicates Islanders' goalie situation

COVID-19 has caused the Islanders every kind of problem other than goalie issues this season — until now.

The Islanders said Sunday that Semyon Varlamov remained in COVID-19 protocol after he was pulled from his scheduled start in Saturday night’s 5-2 loss in Calgary.

Though the NHL has ended the testing of asymptomatic players — and Jean-Gabriel Pageau said after the loss that Varlamov had seemed fine — a negative result is necessary for travel across the Canada-U.S. border. The Islanders flew to Buffalo on Sunday, where they will conclude a four-game road trip against the Sabres on Tuesday night.

With a second positive, Varlamov will remain in Canada until he clears protocol.

Which leads to some questions for the struggling Islanders (17-19-6).

First, is Ilya Sorokin at risk of testing positive over the next few days as a close contact? Sorokin made 24 saves while playing in his third game in four nights. His border-crossing test was negative.

Next, will any other players subsequently test positive? The Islanders went through COVID-19 outbreaks from mid-November through early January, eventually having nine games postponed and 13 games rescheduled.

Finally, if Varlamov is not available for the next five to 10 days, who will become Sorokin’s backup, provided Sorokin stays healthy? More simply put, who from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport is available and capable of playing in the NHL?

Jakub Skarek, a 22-year-old Czech drafted in the third round in 2018, was named the AHL goalie of the month after going 5-0-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage in January. Overall, he is 12-8-4 with a 2.76 GAA and .911 save percentage as the organization’s top goalie prospect.

But Skarek has not played since Jan. 29 and Barry Trotz said after Saturday’s loss that he was not sure of Skarek’s status.

Undrafted free agent Ken Appleby, 26, made 35 saves in Bridgeport’s 2-0 loss to Charlotte on Saturday night. He’s 0-3-2 with a 2.18 GAA and a .934 save percentage for Bridgeport and appeared in three games for the Devils in 2017-18. But he has spent the bulk of this season in the lower-tier ECHL.

Former Devils No. 1 goalie Cory Schneider, 35, who continues to try to work himself back into the NHL after hip injuries sidetracked his career, is 5-9-2 with a 3.08 GAA and .906 save percentage for Bridgeport.

If Varlamov must miss a few games, regardless of whether Schneider (the odds-on choice), Appleby or Skarek is recalled, Trotz will continue to rely on Sorokin if he’s available. The Islanders do not play on back-to-back nights again until Feb. 26-27, and Varlamov should be back by then.

But Sorokin, arguably the Islanders’ MVP with a 14-10-5 mark, 2.46 goals-against average and .920 save percentage, has allowed at least three goals in his last three starts and five of his last six.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.