The New York Islanders are facing a pair of injuries after Robert Bortuzzo and Semyon Varlamov left the team’s Tuesday night matchup early. Bortuzzo has been moved to injured reserve and the team has used an emergency recall on Ken Appleby, with Varlamov expected to miss time.
New York traded for Bortuzzo in early December amid injuries to Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Scott Mayfield. And while Pulock and Pelech remain sidelined, Mayfield has returned, continuing the revolving door of injuries to Islanders defensemen. Bortuzzo is the only defender on the team to not record a point yet this year, with the only changes to his stat line being 19 penalty minutes and a -1 across 15 games with the Islanders and Blues.
As if matters couldn’t get worse for the battered Islanders’ back end, they are now without their dazzling backup goaltender as well. Varlamov has been fantastic in his limited minutes this season, recording a .918 save percentage and a 6-4-2 record across 14 appearances. Varlamov has recorded a save percentage above .910 in all four of his previous seasons with the Islanders. He’ll be replaced by Appleby, a nine-year veteran of the minor leagues. Appleby’s only prior NHL experience came in the 2017-18 season, when he appeared in three games with the New Jersey Devils, recording a 0-1 record and allowing three goals on 55 shots. He’s since served as an AHL depth option and ECHL starter, though he’s found his way into the backup role for the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season. Appleby has had a modest showing in the expanded role, setting a 5-5-0 record and a .897 save percentage in 11 games.
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