NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers still have an All-Star in goal, but after the last 120 minutes of hockey played in this best-of-7 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal round series, it's safe to say they no longer have the edge over the Washington Capitals.
Simeon Varlamov is his name and at least in the last two games this 20-year-old Russian rookie goalie has done everything possible to even up the goaltending, an area in which the Rangers certainly thought they had an advantage heading into the series and definitely did after Game 1.
Varlamov stopped all 33 shots he faced Monday night in a pivotal Game 3 at a deafening Madison Square Garden, and the Capitals beat Lundqvist four times for a 4-0 victory to slice their deficit in this series to 2-1.
Game 4 is Wednesday night back at the Garden and Varlamov will bring a shutout streak of 112:16 into the game. The lone goal he has allowed was to Ryan Callahan just 7:44 into the first period of Game 2.
"It's very important that when you play in the playoffs that the goalie plays the best," Varlamov said through an interpreter. "If the goalie plays the best then the team feels more confident. I understand the value for my team in being a great goalie."
Varlamov was the surprise starter in Game 2 on Saturday for Jose Theodore, who allowed four goals on 21 shots in a 4-3 loss in Game 1. The Russian was good in stopping 23 of 24 shots, but the Caps couldn't beat Lundqvist and lost, 1-0.
Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, secretive about who he would start in goal all the way up to when the lineups were finally announced, sent Alex Ovechkin to tell Varlamov on Monday morning that he was going to start.
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