Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov impressive in shutout win

COLUMBUS, Ohio — As good as Ilya Sorokin has been for the Islanders, he cannot play 82 games.

So when Semyon Varlamov plays like he did in nets Saturday, earning a 34-save shutout in a 2-0 win over the Blue Jackets, it means things are going according to plan for a team that has put every priority on making sure it has two capable goaltenders.

“Feels great. It feels really amazing,” Varlamov told The Post following his first shutout since a 4-0 win over the Jets last Feb. 26. “Just said thank you to the boys, they were battling hard today all game. They had some great chances at the end and the boys were making the saves there, too. That was a great team effort today.”

Varlamov was not forced to play Superman in a game where the Jackets missed the net 14 times and had 21 more attempts blocked. But in the moments where he was asked to step up with the Islanders defending a 1-0 lead for much of the evening, Varlamov was there.

That came in particular on a pair of Jack Roslovic chances in the third period, the first of which saw Varlamov get the glove out to stop the Columbus winger and the second of which saw him get his left pad on an excellent chance.

In between, Roslovic hit the left post on what must have been a remarkably frustrating series of events for the 26-year-old.

“Played unbelievable,” Kyle Palmieri said of Varlamov. “There was a couple, especially in the third period, those in-tight plays around the net, he held his position and stayed strong. Sometimes it’s tough to do that when you’re not playing too often. But I think he’s done a great job of working, getting himself ready. That performance showed it tonight.”

In the wake of Ottawa center Shane Pinto’s 41-game suspension for gambling-related offenses that did not include NHL games, the Islanders are awaiting clarity on what is and is not allowed along with the rest of the league.

“First of all, I think everybody knows that there’s no gambling on the NHL or hockey,” Matt Martin told The Post.

“As far as the Pinto situation, there seems to be some confusion on what he was suspended for, and I would imagine that will either be presented to us by the NHL or the NHLPA or will come to light sooner or later, so we have a better understanding of what it was and what he did.”

Oliver Wahlstrom was moved to the top line for the game’s last period, with Mathew Barzal dropping to the third line.

Though coach Lane Lambert praised Wahlstrom’s game, he made clear that splitting up Barzal and Horvat was a temporary measure, laughing off a question about it.

Scott Mayfield (leg) did not make the trip to Columbus.