The New York Islanders should be happy with Ilya Sorokin's performance on Saturday against the New York Rangers in which he brought his A game despite a 3-2 shootout loss.
The New York Islanders should be happy with Ilya Sorokin's performance on Saturday against the New York Rangers in which he brought his A game despite a 3-2 shootout loss.
NEW YORK, NY -- After sitting for the last three games, New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy called upon Ilya Sorokin for their Saturday matinee against the New York Rangers.
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The 2023 Vezina finalist had struggled this season to be the same difference-maker he was a season ago and, as of late, saw himself watching his counterpart Semyon Varlamov wield the team to victories in their fight to a playoff spot.
Sorokin, who snapped a personal six-game skid last week against the Chicago Blackhawks before parlaying that with a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets a few days later, still didn't look his best despite the results.
With only three games to go entering Saturday's game, Sorokin was running out of time to find his A game.
He found it against the Rangers.
Despite a 3-2 shootout loss, Sorokin was brilliant, turning aside 41 shots through regulation and overtime.
Early on, he stoned Adam Fox while denying Mike Zibanejad's five first-period shots.
He was aggressive, fighting through screens and, more often than not, controlling his rebounds.
Through two periods, Sorokin allowed just one goal, which came after Rangers' defenseman Braden Schneider was allowed to walk in all alone while the Islanders were on the power play.
Sorokin made a strong save to deny the initial shot, his first shot of the period, but Schneider buried the rebound.
After that, Sorokin locked it down, denying the next nine shots, which allowed the Islanders to score two unanswered goals and head to the third period up 2-1.
Unfortunately for the Islanders and Sorokin, Artemi Panarin tied the game with 4:07 to play in regulation before his shootout dagger on the Rangers' first attempt served as the game-winner.
Sorokin's performance was more of what the Islanders and their fan base became accustomed to a season ago.
There were no weak goals against, which had become far too common this season. He wasn't hanging back on his goal line and tracked the puck, arguably, the best he's done all season long.
"It's hard to explain," Islanders forward Hudson Fasching said on Sorokin's performance."He's unbelievable. It's kind of sad that he faced as much criticism as he did in the first place, but he's unbelievable, He looked great out there today, and we're happy for him. We trust him back there so much."
The penalty kill is where Sorokin's struggled the most this season, and with the help of a few big-time blocks, the gifted netminder stopped all three Rangers' power-play shots that came his way.
"He made some huge saves when we needed it," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. He's the reason it was a tight game and the reason we had a lead going into the third. Another great performance from him, and it was good to see him playing the way he was."
Sorokin has now turned aside 84 of the last 89 shots he's faced, not including the two he allowed in the shootout, for a .943 SV% and a 1.67 GAA.
Roy said postgame that Sorokin's lack of games lately wasn't about his play but about Varlamov's.
“I had zero concern. I was not even nervous because he played really well against Chicago and Columbus. I mean, it's just that Varly has been red hot for us. That's all it is. But like I said before, I'm gonna continue the same thing. We're very fortunate to have two very good goaltenders.”
Sorokin spoke postgame about his performance.
"I felt good," Sorokin said. "I have couple of shots to the start the game. I feel good, staying in good shape.
Sorokin did face shots early, which allowed him to settle in.
"It's always good to face shots when game starts. Good to feel pucks after warmup," Sorokin said. "Not like last game (against Chicago) where first shot was breakaway. I feel good at practice when I'm not playing and felt good before game."
As Roy said, the Islanders' having two strong goaltenders is a luxury, but that's only true if both are playing to their potential.
Varlamov has been phenomenal lately, but if the Islanders are going to make a run in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, if they get there with two games to go, they'll need Sorokin to be the brick wall he has proven to be.
Saturday's start was one of his better ones of late.
Whether he gets the start against the New Jersey Devils on Monday or against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday to close out the season, or his first start doesn't come until the playoffs, the Islanders will need him to build on this performance.