For Islanders goalie IIya Sorokin, it's new day, new mood
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin and teammates react after Vancouver Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort scored in the second period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
TAMPA, Fla. — Teammates describe Ilya Sorokin’s demeanor as “calm.” So if the goalie had any frustration or agitation from being pulled from his last start or anticipated any extra pressure in advance of Saturday’s match against the Lightning, the Islanders’ latest must-win game, it would never be evident.
“New day, new mood,” a relaxed Sorokin told Newsday after Friday’s practice at Amalie Arena. “A tough game against a really good team. A fast team with skilled players. Just do what I usually do. Nothing more.”
Coach Patrick Roy said he would split his goalies for this weekend’s road back-to-back with Sorokin starting on Saturday and Marcus Hogberg in net on Sunday against the Hurricanes.
Hogberg relieved Sorokin at 1:05 of the third period of Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Canucks to conclude a four-game stand at UBS Arena. Sorokin allowed four goals on 19 shots, the last two scores coming on chances he probably should have stopped.
“I just focus on the next game,” said Sorokin, adding his post-game routines, regardless of whether it’s a good or bad performance, consists of a video-review session with goalie coach Piero Greco.
“I don’t know how many minutes but, after every game, I’m with Piero.”
And there will be a good chunk of games for Sorokin among the Islanders’ final 11 before the regular season ends on April 17 in Columbus, Ohio.
There are two sets of back-to-backs remaining, this weekend and then April 12 in Philadelphia and the next day in New Jersey.
So Sorokin will likely surpass the career-high 60 starts he made in 2022-23 when he went 31-22-7 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .924 save percentage, finishing second to then-Bruin Linus Ullmark in balloting for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie.
He’ll enter Saturday’s match with a 27-21-6 mark, a 2.76 GAA and .905 save percentage in 54 appearances, 53 of those as a starter. He could start nine more games this season.
“If I’m right we play 11 games in 20 days, correct?” said Roy, who was correct. “So Ilya is going to see most of the action. When we have back-to-back games we’re probably going to alternate both. We’re going to need our goalies fresh and both ready to play. And we’ll go game by game.”
Roy said starting Sorokin against the Lightning and Hogberg against the Hurricanes was not based on the opponent. Rather, Roy said, “We want to win every game and the first one is Tampa. If it would have been Carolina, it probably would be Carolina.”
That, at least, cracks a small window into the temptation Roy, a Hall of Fame goalie, must feel to use his No. 1 netminder for all games down the stretch. Maybe it will come to that for the Flyers/Devils’ back-to-back.
Not that Sorokin is looking ahead. He never has.
“No, just the next game,” Sorokin said. “Maybe a couple of games if it’s back-to-back. But I don’t know what we play the next five to seven games.”
That tracks totally with Sorokin’s always-calm persona.
“Each guy has a calm demeanor in there,” defenseman Noah Dobson said, also including Hogberg. “They never look like they’re too stressed. They’re always in control, which is a great thing for a goalie. It brings a calming influence to the team.”
New day, new mood. Sorokin versus the Lightning with his thoughts solely focused ahead, not on not finishing his last game.
Notes & quotes: Adam Boqvist will see duty as a defenseman, his natural position, for the first time in nine games after filling in as a forward his last two matches. He will draw in for Mike Reilly on Saturday and Roy said it was strictly a power-play based decision. “We need a power-play guy,” Roy said. “He’s got skills. He moves the puck well. He’s got speed. He’s got a nice shot. He sees the ice well.” The Islanders’s power play remains last in the NHL at 21-for-175 (12.0%) and is 2-for-27 (7.4%) over their last nine games.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
