Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech shoved Point into Varlamov while he was driving toward the net. Point was handed a two-minute penalty for goaltender interference.
Varlamov was down for a few moments and later sent to the locker room. Ilya Sorokin entered the game in his place, stopping all six shots he faced. Varlamov returned to the crease for the beginning of the second period.
The Islanders scored immediately on the ensuing power play to tie up the contest.
The Bell Centre will be a bit more full when the Montreal Canadiens return for Game 3 on Friday.
The Quebec government announced Tuesday that it's relaxing the rules for public events. One of the changes will increase the indoor capacity from 2,500 people to 3,500 and go into effect on Thursday.
Montreal was the first Canadian city to allow fans to attend NHL games during the first round of the playoffs. The majority of American teams welcomed back fans during the regular season, and the remaining teams in the postseason are operating near full capacity.
The Canadiens will take on the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bell Centre for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday. There were 17,884 fans in attendance for Game 1 in Vegas, according to TSN's Mark Masters.
Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin isn't buying the idea that the North Division was easy to play in.
"There was not an easy night in our division," Bergevin said Saturday, per Sportsnet. "Like I said, travel was hard. Even the last-place team, or close to the last-place team, the Ottawa Senators, they finished pretty strong, and if it wasn't for their start they'd probably be battling for a playoff spot."
He added, "Plus, hockey in Canada, you're in the spotlight every night. So it was a tough division and hockey was at its best. Every team almost had superstars, and it was not easy."
The NHL realigned its divisions for the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the Canada-U.S. border being closed, the league was forced to create a seven-team all-Canadian division.
The division was criticized throughout the year for not being as competitive as the other three. Some have pointed to the fact that the Canadiens made the postseason despite finishing in 18th in the league's overall standings.
The Canadiens are the final team standing in the North after defeating the Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets in the first two rounds. The club will open its third-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night.
Montreal Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki hasn't been looking to exact revenge on the Vegas Golden Knights since being traded by the club in 2018.
Suzuki was drafted by the Golden Knights with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft but was quickly traded to the Canadiens in a blockbuster deal involving ex-Habs captain Max Pacioretty.
"I think it worked out for both teams obviously. When Marc called me and said I was a big piece that they wanted I just wanted to show that Montreal made the right decision in bringing me over and I want to do everything I can for this franchise," Suzuki said via TSN on Friday when asked if he's ever wanted to prove Vegas wrong for moving him.
"It was more about proving Marc right to want me in the deal."
Suzuki was dealt to Montreal alongside Tomas Tatar and a second-round pick for Pacioretty. He never suited up in a game for Vegas and was ultimately with the organization for just one year.
The two teams are now set to meet in Round 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with both Suzuki and Pacioretty playing big roles with their respective club since the trade.
Suzuki put together a solid rookie season with the Canadiens last year, racking up 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games. This season, he stepped his game up and recorded 41 points in just 56 contests.
He's played an integral role with Montreal so far in the postseason, scoring four goals and adding four assists in 11 games.
Pacioretty has continued his top-notch play with Vegas since arriving in 2018. Over the span of the last three seasons, he leads the club in goals (78) and points (157). He has four goals and four assists in seven games so far during the playoffs.
Toronto residents might not be happy with the CN Tower's choice of colors Tuesday night.
The landmark building, which stands in downtown Toronto, announced that it'll be decked out in red, blue, and white to honor the Montreal Canadiens being the final Canadian team standing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' longtime rivals swept the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night to secure a spot in the third round of the postseason. The Canadiens previously overcame a 3-1 series deficit to upset the Leafs in Round 1.
The hockey world took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the decision.
Joel Armia had a big game for the Canadiens. He scored two goals - including an empty-netter and a shorthanded tally in the second period - and added an assist. Adam Lowry scored the lone goal for the Jets.
The Canadiens have now won six straight games dating back to their first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The two teams will have a quick turnaround and square off again on Monday night for the second half of a back-to-back.
Stastny missed the first two games of Round 2 with an undisclosed injury. He previously played in all four contests during the Jets' first-round sweep of the Edmonton Oilers.
Despite typically playing center, the 35-year-old is slotting in as a left-winger on a line with Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers. With Mark Scheifele serving his four-game suspension, Pierre-Luc Dubois centered the team's top line in Game 2.
#NHLJets vs #Habs Game 3: Stastny - Copp - Ehlers Connor - Dubois - Wheeler Vesalainen - Thompson - Lewis Perrault - Lowry - Appleton
Morrissey - Poolman Forbort - Pionk Stanley - Benn
The teams exploded for eight goals in a frantic second period. Carolina failed to find the back of the net in the third frame. Tampa Bay scored four straight goals to close out the contest.
He's expected to be unavailable for training camp in September, and there isn't currently a definitive timetable for his return.
Malkin suffered the injury after a collision in a contest against the Boston Bruins on March 16. As a result, he missed the final six weeks of the regular season and the first two games of the postseason.
The 34-year-old racked up eight goals and 20 assists in 33 regular-season games this campaign and chipped in five points in the four playoff games he appeared in.
2021 NHL Draft Lottery When: Wednesday, June 2, 7 p.m. ET How to watch: Sportsnet, NBCSN, NHL Network
It's once again time for the NHL draft lottery.
There are only two draws beginning this year, with the first determining which club will select first overall in the 2021 NHL Draft and the second deciding who will pick second.
The NHL draft will be held virtually over two days, with Round 1 taking place July 23 followed by Rounds 2-7 on July 24.
This year's lottery will also include the expansion Seattle Kraken, who will begin play next season.
Let's take a deeper dive into everything you need to know for Wednesday's draw.
Odds to win No. 1 pick
The Buffalo Sabres have the highest odds at winning the No. 1 pick after finishing the 2020-21 campaign with the league's worst record. Under the NHL's new format, Buffalo can select no lower than third overall.
The Kraken have the third-best odds at winning the lottery; they'll pick no lower than fifth.
Rank
Team
Odds
1
Buffalo Sabres
16.6%
2
Anaheim Ducks
12.1%
3
Seattle Kraken
10.3%
4
New Jersey Devils
10.3%
5
Columbus Blue Jackets
8.5%
6
Detroit Red Wings
7.6%
7
San Jose Sharks
6.7%
8
Los Angeles Kings
5.8%
9
Vancouver Canucks
5.4%
10
Ottawa Senators
4.5%
11
Arizona Coyotes*
3.1%
12
Chicago Blackhawks
2.7%
13
Calgary Flames
2.2%
14
Philadelphia Flyers
1.8%
15
Dallas Stars
1.4%
16
New York Rangers
1%
*The Coyotes will forfeit their first-round pick for violating the NHL's combine testing policy in 2019-20. A redraw will take place if Arizona wins either of the top two lottery picks.
Projected top picks
Unlike in years past, there isn't a consensus No. 1 pick in 2021. Let's take a look at some of the names slated to go near the top.
Owen Power
Power sits atop many prospect rankings and mock drafts, and he's the likeliest player to go No. 1. The blue-liner, who's performed well at every level he's played in, just wrapped up an impressive season at Michigan and has all of the tools to become an elite NHLer.
Luke Hughes
The younger brother of Jack and Quinn Hughes, Luke is likely to follow in his family's footsteps as a top 10 pick. An unlucky foot injury took him out for the majority of this past season, but he's a rock-solid defenseman who can contribute on both sides of the puck.
Brandt Clarke
Yet another defenseman projected to go near the top, Clarke spent the past season playing in the top Slovakian professional league. Not only did he produce solid numbers overseas, but he also played a key role in helping Canada win gold at the U18 men's hockey championship.
Best of the rest
This year's draft has more question marks than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many leagues across the world either had abbreviated seasons or didn't play at all.
However, there's still plenty of talent atop this year's draft class. Defenseman Simon Edvinsson and center Matthew Beniers will go near the top, while goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is also expected to be selected in the lottery. Teams may also reach for players like Dylan Guenther, Kent Johnson, and William Eklund.