Varlamov will defend the visiting crease in Carolina on Saturday for Game 1, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.

Advice: Varlamov took over from Ilya Sorokin down the stretch, starting in seven of the Islanders' last 11 games. Varlamov won his last five starts, ending the season with a 14-8-4 record, to go with a 2.60 GAA and a .918 save percentage, Varlamov was 1-0-0 in his only start versus the Hurricanes this season, stopping 39 shots in a 5-4 overtime victory. Rotowire.com Today, 9:38 am

Fleury stopped 23 of 26 shots in Thursday's 4-3 loss to Seattle, with the Kraken's final goal getting scored into an empty net.

Advice: A 1-1 tie through two periods turned into a wild final frame, and Fleury hit the bench for the final two minutes with Minnesota down 3-2, only to see each team score once more. The 39-year-old netminder lost his final three starts of the season, leaving him with a 17-15-5 record, 2.98 GAA and .895 save percentage through 40 outings. A one-year contract extension he signed earlier this week will bring him back to Minnesota in 2024-25 as Filip Gustavsson's backup, and he still has some personal milestones he can reach -- Fleury needs two more shutouts to move into sole possession of 10th place on the NHL's all-time list. Rotowire.com Today, 7:35 am