Ilya Sorokin Looks Amazing in First Start of Year for Islanders
Fans of the New York Islanders got a scare in September when they found out that Ilya Sorokin underwent offseason back surgery and would miss the start of training camp. But everyone can now take a collective sigh of relief.
Sorokin is back, and he looks like his vintage old self. He was outstanding in his season debut against the Avalanche Thursday night, making 32 saves in a 6-2 victory.
“Some of the saves he made were incredible,” Casey Cizikas said after the road win. “That’s just him being him. He’s never out of a play. He never gives up on a play.”
After giving up a goal to Calum Ritchie 61 seconds in, Sorokin remained calm and got better as the game went on.
The franchise goaltender was money when it mattered most, saving 16 of 17 shots in the third period and stifling the Avalanche as they tried to mount a comeback. The Islanders blew many late leads last year, but Sorokin made sure that didn’t happen again in Denver.
“In the third, I thought he was outstanding. I mean, in the first two periods, I don’t think we gave them too much. He made some good saves here and there. But in the third, they were really good chances,” Roy said.
Sorokin had a .914 save percentage in his debut. He faced 3.17 expected goals, allowing just two pucks to get by him, and turned aside every single high danger unblocked shot attempt he saw, according to MoneyPuck.
After missing most of training camp and the entire preseason, it would have been reasonable to Sorokin to be shaky in his return to game action. But the star goalie was flexible, mobile and confident, maneuvering around the crease with ease. His edges looked sharp and he was barely out of position.
“I just tried to focus on simple things that I could control and not think too much,” Sorokin said.
Sorokin is in the first season of an eight-year, $66 million extension he signed last July. It is unclear as of Wednesday morning if he will start Thursday night when the Islanders battle the Blues in St. Louis.
Featured image courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images
