After some struggles to find consistency in the first half of the season, Ilya Sorokin seems back to his elite self.

The New York Islanders find themselves on a five-game winning streak for a handful of reasons. 

Goaltender Ilya Sorokin is certainly one of them.

Yes, the team has played much better in front of him, especially early on during the streak, but the 29-year-old has followed suit, finding his game at the right time. 

In four appearances, three starts, Sorokin is 4-0-0, with a 1.32 GAA and a .955 SV%, stopping 85 of 88 shots that have come his way.

Since Jan. 18, game one of his winning streak, Sorokin has led the NHL in wins and is second with a 1.22 GAA, 1.22 and a .959 SV%.

His 3.49 Goals Saved Above Average ranks first. 

Sorokin has had a great season at 5-on-5, but his penalty kill numbers have really harmed his stat line.

However, on this winning streak, and in large part due to the defense in front of him, he's allowed just one goal on eight shots for a .875 SV%, three of those shots. 

But Sorokin's rise back to elite numbers began when the calendar flipped over to January. 

In eight starts since Jan. 1, Sorokin is 6-2-0, with a 2.00 GAA and a .921 SV%. 

At 5-on-5, he owns a 1.88 GAA, with a .935 SV%. On the penalty kill, which is 18 for 20 in 2025, Sorokin has stopped 17 of 19. 

The eye test backs up all these numbers.

What we are seeing from Sorokin right now is him getting back to his elite game. He's tracking the puck much better, especially through traffic. Although his rebound control has not been perfect, it's been better. In desperate moments, his lateral movements are back to being elite, robbing players when necessary. 

Sorokin may not be the sole reason the Islanders have turned their season around, but he's played a massive part. And if the Islanders want to fight for a wild-card spot, currently four points back with a game in hand, he's going to have to continue to be dominant. 

With Marcus Hogberg and Semyon Varlamov hurt, Sorokin will be heavily relied upon going forward, and the Islanders will need him to continue performing at his best. 

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