The Islanders are starting to turn things around. After losing their first two games of the season, they have gone on a seven-game point streak, posting a record of 5-0-2. An enormous reason for this point streak is because of their goaltender, as Ilya Sorokin is quietly establishing himself amongst the best goaltenders in the NHL.

Although only about a month into the 2021-22 season, Sorokin is second in the league in shutouts. He is tied for sixth place among NHL goaltenders for save percentage, with a current save percentage of .939. For goals against average, Sorokin is tied for seventh place at 1.98.

Last season, Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov shared time. Varlamov started 36 games, while Sorokin played the other 20 games in the Islanders’ shortened 56-game season. Sorokin struggled mightily at the beginning of the season. However, Sorokin improved massively as the season went on. He finished the 2021 NHL season with a .918 save percentage and 2.17 goals against average.

Sorokin also won the Islanders a series in the postseason. After initially starting Game 1 for the Islanders due to an injured Varlamov, Sorokin led the Islanders to four wins against an offensive juggernaut in the Pittsburgh Penguins. In his four games played against the Penguins, Sorokin faced 159 shots and stopped 150 of them. Although Varlamov went on to reclaim the starting job against Boston in the next round, Sorokin stepped up for the Islanders, and without him, the team most likely would have been a first-round exit.

Coming into the 2021-22 season, Varlamov missed all of training camp due to an injury. In his 14-year NHL career, this is Varlamov’s first time missing an entire NHL training camp. Therefore, Sorokin was set to carry the load for the Islanders on a 13-game road trip.

All of these factors have put enormous pressure on Sorokin, and he has handled it exceptionally well. Being the backbone of a Stanley Cup contender to start the season comes with immense pressure.

Wins are not hoped for. They are expected.

The organization expects the Islanders to win every night because that is what they are capable of. All of this pressure, combined with the fact that the Islanders have to play their first 13 games of the season on the road, puts substantial weight on Sorokin’s shoulders.

The past two seasons, the Islanders have struggled on the road as well. The Islanders were 15-14-4 on the road in 2019-20 and were even worse in 2020-21, posting a sub-.500 record at 11-13-4. These factors mean Sorokin had to be nearly perfect for the team at a crucial point in their season. A slow start can pay adverse effects down the line, especially if the Islanders have their sights set on a Cup run.

Despite all of this pressure and the unique circumstances, Sorokin is thriving – not just as the best goaltender on the Islanders, but as one of the best in the NHL.

Ethan Halle

Ethan is an Economics Major at the University of Florida looking to pursue a double major in Sports Management with a minor in political science.