Why Roy Is Starting Sorokin Against San Jose; Holmstrom Coming Out Of Islanders Lineup?

EAST MEADOW, NY -- Ilya Sorokin will start when the New York Islanders battle the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, per head coach Patrick Roy. David Rittich will start against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. 

Sorokin snapped his three-game winless streak on Saturday afternoon after turning aside 29 of 33 in a back-and-forth 5-4 win against the Ottawa Senators. He made a key penalty-shot save on Long Island native Shane Pinto while also going into the splits to deny a chance after the puck bounced off the end wall and right to the slow. 

Islanders Goalie Ilya Sorokin Remains Perfect On Penalty Shots Despite not being at his sharpest, Ilya Sorokin made timely saves in the Islanders' win over the Senators, including another penalty shot stop.

Rittich, on the other hand, was very strong in his first start of the season, his first as an Islander, after making 31 saves on 33 shots in a 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. 

Roy could have gone either way this week with his netminder, but looked at what Sorokin did in that win against Ottawa as the reason he gets the next game, especially his performance ina 

"One save at a time. And I thought that's the approach he had," Roy said on Sorokin's performance. "We gave up way too many pocket chances in that game. We talked about it this morning, but I mean, and he made some really important save at the key moment in the game. That's what you want from your goalie, and that's what he did."

The Hockey News asked how important it was to go back to a goalie whose feeling good, espeiclaly one like Sorokin, whose start to the season had been anything but pretty. 

"I think it is [important], Roy said. "I think you want to get some momentum and feel good about yourself. And I hope that he's going to get a lot of confidence from that third period. He should, because he played really well."

As for lineup changes, Maxim Tsyplakov is coming back in after sitting the last two games. 

However, it may not be for Kyle MacLean, even if that's how the lineup looked during Monday's rushes. 

After Roy was asked about Simon Holmstrom, who has no points and just two shots on goal in five games, his response makes it seem like No. 10 will not be in the lineup against San Jose. 

"I feel like he's been playing some good hockey," Roy said.  "I really feel like he was doing a lot of good things, offensively, defensively. But hey, that's the beauty in having a good lineup. I mean, you have to make some decisions. And right now, I mean, we feel that's the best lineup for us."

Prior to that question, Roy was asked about the fourth line and if he was looking for a "special sauce" for whichever three man those roles. 

"There's no secret sauce," Roy said. "I mean, we got a lot of good players, and we're going to rotate some guys. There's some guys going to be in and out of the lineup. And [Kyle] MacLean has been playing really well.  I said to him this morning, when I met with him, he's been playing good hockey."

We'll find out during Tuesday's morning skate, but don't be shocked if Holmstrom is a healthy scratch with the fourth line looking like MacLean-Cizikas-Tsyplakov on Tuesday night. 

The other lineup news is that defenseman Alexander Romanov who didn't skate Friday due to maintenance before missing Saturday's game with an upper-body injury, will be a game-time decision. 

If he can't go, expect Adam Boqvist to play in his second straight game, alongside Tony DeAngelo.

Puck drop between the Islanders and Sharks is at 7 PM ET on MSGSN.