Stefen Rosner on Morning Cuppa Hockey Talking Islanders Ilya Sorokin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/ilya-sorokin-new-york-islanders-patrick-roy-semyon-varlamov] will be making his first start of the season on Monday night when the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/ilya-sorokin-new-york-islanders-patrick-roy-semyon-varlamov] battle the Colorado Avalanche, per Newsday's Andrew Gross [https://x.com/AGrossNewsday/status/1845879659306651659]. Despite being 100 percent healthy following offseason back surgery, the 29-year-old backed up Semyon Varlamov for the first two games of the season as he worked on getting game-ready. Sorokin is coming off his worst NHL season, playing to a 3.01 GAA with a .908 SV% before losing the starting job to Varlamov down the stretch. In his lone playoff start, Game Three against the Carolina Hurricanes, Sorokin was pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots. This season, Sorokin begins the first of an eight-year deal worth $8.25 million. In four career appearances against Colorado, Sorokin owns a 3.14 GAA with a .908 SV%. TOP STORIES
