Stefen Rosner of NHL.com is reporting that New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov is expected to return to team practice at some point this week.

He has impressed everyone, coach Patrick Roy included, over a run of three starts in four games, over which he’s allowed just three total goals.

On Wednesday, I wrote a story about how the New York Islanders would have to make an incredibly hard decision on Marcus Hogberg when Semyon Varlamov was ready to come off long-term injury reserve.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Islanders’ disaster scenario came to pass on Saturday. With Semyon Varlamov out with a lower-body injury, Ilya Sorokin fell ill and was unavailable for the match against Utah Hockey Club. That left the Isles scrambling, with Marcus Hogberg in net and Jakub Skarek being recalled from Bridgeport on an emergency basis.

EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders are planning to go with ... Ilya Sorokin, who has played a lot in the absence of Semyon Varlamov, has struggled to find consistency in his game.

Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves for his second shutout in three games and the Senators beat the Islanders on Tuesday night.

Mathew Barzal and Adam Pelech talk about their “obsessive” chess “addiction” as classic board game grows in Isles room

Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves, Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist and the New York Rangers beat the Ottawa Senators 5-0 on Tuesday night. Arthur Kaliyev, Matt Rempe, Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle also scored for the Rangers, who are 7-1-3 since Jan. 2 and have won three straight at home.

The real story is Shesterkin’s 164:03 shutout streak, dating back to the opening minute of the second period in Salt Lake City last week. The Rangers are playing so much better in front of their goalies this month that their numbers are bound to be better, but Shesterkin is also very much on point after his brief absence at the start of January.

Led by goalie Igor Shesterkin, the New York Rangers dominated the Ottawa Senators 5-0 at Madison Square Garden.

Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves, Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and an assist and the Rangers beat the Senators on Tuesday night.

The Isles are 8-5-7 in games decided by a single goal including 4-5 in regulation. They are 2-6 in games decided in overtime and are 2-1 in shootouts. The Isles are 3-8 in games in which an empty-net goal turns a 1-goal game into a 2-goal game.