Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Serving as backup on Opening Night
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Sorokin will serve as the backup goaltender for Thursday's Opening Night matchup at home against Utah, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Sorokin was limited during training camp following offseason back surgery, but he's been deemed healthy ahead of the Islanders' regular-season opener. However, the team will roll with Semyon Varlamov as the Opening Night starter in the crease. Sorokin will attempt to bounce back this season after logging a 25-19-12 record, 3.01 GAA and .908 save percentage last year.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Ready to rock
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Sorokin (back) will be in the lineup against Utah on Thursday for Opening Night, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.
However, head coach Patrick Roy hasn't decided if Sorokin or Semyon Varlamov will be between the pipes in Thursday's contest. The 29-year-old Sorokin was limited during training camp following offseason back surgery. He posted a 25-19-12 record with two shutouts, a 3.01 GAA and a .908 save percentage over 56 appearances during the 2023-24 regular season.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Not ruled out for Opening Night
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Sorokin (back) hasn't been ruled out from starting Opening Night against Utah on Thursday, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.
Sorokin practiced again Sunday and appears to be trending in the right direction following offseason back surgery. He posted a 25-19-12 record with two shutouts, a 3.01 GAA and a .908 save percentage over 56 appearances during the 2023-24 regular season. Semyon Varlamov could start Thursday's home contest versus Utah if Sorokin isn't ready to play.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Remains day-to-day
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Coach Patrick Roy said Thursday that he is taking it one day at a time with Sorokin (back), Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Roy would not say whether or not Sorokin will play in the Islanders' final exhibition game Friday. Sorokin was warming up and partaking in Thursday's practice, the first time in training camp that he has done so this season. The 29-year-old had a tough 2023-24 campaign, registering a 25-19-12 record with a 3.01 GAA and a .908 save percentage, his worst campaign in four NHL seasons. Should Sorokin not be ready for Opening Night on Oct. 10 versus Utah, look for Semyon Varlamov to get the start.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Undergoes back surgery
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Sorokin had surgery to address a back injury this offseason but is not expected to miss any regular-season action, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports Monday.
Sorokin may not feature much, if at all, during the preseason as a result of his back surgery but all signs point to him being on the Opening Night roster versus Utah on Oct. 10. Whether or not he gets the starting nod for that game may depend on both his recovery timeline and how well Semyon Varlamov performs in preseason contests. While Sorokin likely has the edge in terms of being the starter to open the year, his hold on the No. 1 job should probably be considered tenuous at best after a rough finish to 2023-24.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Hurt in offseason
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General manager Lou Lamoriello said Friday that Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury while training during the offseason, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports.
Lamoriello said Sorokin is skating and while he may miss the start of training camp, he has no concerns about the netminder missing any time when the regular season begins. Sorokin struggled at times during the 2023-24 campaign, going 25-19-12 with a 3.01 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Look for a bounce-back season from the 29-year-old.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Pulled in the second
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Sorokin allowed three goals on 14 shots before he was replaced by Semyon Varlamov in the second period of Thursday's 3-2 Game 3 loss to Carolina. Sorokin was credited with the loss.
Looking to climb out of a 2-0 hole in the series, the Islanders elected to switch things up and turn to Sorokin in net for Game 3. The 28-year-old netminder allowed two goals on the first six shots he faced in the first period and a third tally to Sebastian Aho 7:14 into the second before he was pulled in favor of Varlamov. Sorokin seemed to be the Islanders' unquestioned starter after signing an eight-year extension prior to the season. However, he was outplayed down the stretch by Varlamov, who took over the top goaltending job heading into the playoffs. Sorokin went 25-19-12 during the regular season with a career-low .908 save percentage and 3.01 GAA.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Expected starter for Thursday
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Sorokin is set to start at home against Carolina on Thursday, per Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Sorokin had a 25-19-12 record, 3.01 GAA and .908 save percentage in 56 appearances during the regular season. Semyon Varlamov was in net for the first two contests of the Islanders' first-round series and initially appeared to be the projected starter for Game 3 after being the first goaltender off the ice following Wednesday's morning skate, but coach Patrick Roy has indicated New York will make a change in goal. Carolina has a 2-0 series lead and has outscored the Islanders 8-4.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Busy to end regular season
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Sorokin stopped 40 shots in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Penguins.
The 28-year-old goalie will take some momentum into the postseason. Sorokin made 40 or more saves in each of his last two starts, and he's gone 3-0-1 over his last four appearances while giving up nine goals on 133 shots (.932 save percentage). He'd been splitting work again with Semyon Varlamov to close out the regular season though, and Varly has won five straight starts of his own while posting a .945 save percentage. As a result, Varlamov seems to be the favorite to get the nod between the pipes Saturday when the Isles begin their first-round series in Carolina.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Falls to Blueshirts in shootout
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Sorokin stopped 41 shots in regulation and overtime and one of three shootout attempts in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Rangers.
The Islanders haven't quite clinched a playoff spot yet, and while Sorokin did his best to try and get his team an extra point in the standings, he wasn't able to deny Artemi Panarin in the clutch. The 28-year-old netminder is 2-0-1 over his last three starts, allowing five goals on 89 shots (.944 save percentage) as he tries to regain his peak form ahead of the postseason. Semyon Varlamov has been hot down the stretch, so it remains to be seen which goalie gets the nod for the postseason opener if the Islanders hold onto a playoff spot.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Starting on Saturday
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Sorokin will guard the road crease Saturday against the Rangers, per Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Sorokin was excellent in his last start, stopping 25 of 27 shots in a 4-2 win over Columbus on Thursday. The 28-year-old has seen his numbers drop a bit but has still been solid this season, recording a .907 save percentage and a 24-19-11 record in 54 appearances. He will have a tough matchup against the Rangers, who are 25-12-4 at home this year.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Snags win in Columbus
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Sorokin turned aside 25 shots in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Blue Jackets.
Both goals against Sorokin came in the first period, and the 28-year-old netminder shut Columbus down the rest of the way to help the Isles move back into a playoff spot. The streaky Sorokin has won two straight starts while allowing three goals on 46 shots, but that comes on the heels of six straight losses. New York might need him to stay sharp if it's going to stay ahead of Detroit, Washington and Pittsburgh in the race for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Gets nod Thursday
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Sorokin was first off the ice at morning skate, signifying he will guard the visitors crease against the Blue Jackets on Thursday, per Ethan Sears of the New York Post.
Sorokin was solid in his last start Tuesday, stopping 18 of 19 shots in a 2-1 win over Chicago. The 28-year-old has put together a solid season, recording a .907 save percentage and a 23-19-11 record in 53 starts. He will have a favorable matchup in what is essentially a must-win home game for the Isles, as the Blue Jackets are 10-20-7 on the road this year.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Starting Tuesday
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Sorokin will protect the home net Tuesday against Chicago, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.
Sorokin has surrendered 21 goals on 176 shots during his six-game losing streak. He will get the second half of the Islanders' back-to-back after Semyon Varlamov plays against Philadelphia on Monday. Sorokin has a 22-19-11 record this season with a 3.07 GAA and a .906 save percentage through 52 games played. Chicago sits 32nd in the league with 2.22 goals per contest this campaign, so it's a favorable matchup for Sorokin to attempt to get back on track.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Losing streak continues
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Sorokin allowed three goals on 29 shots in a 4-0 loss to New Jersey on Sunday. The fourth goal was an empty-netter.
Sorokin is mired in a six-game losing streak, during which he has posted a 3.58 GAA and an .881 save percentage. It certainly hasn't been all the netminder's fault, considering the Isles have failed to score a goal in three of those six defeats. Despite the slump, Sorokin will likely remain the preferred option in the crease ahead of Thursday's road game versus the Panthers.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Tough night in Detroit
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Sorokin stopped 18 of 23 shots in Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Red Wings, with Detroit's final goal getting scored into an empty net.
The first half of the game was actually scoreless, but the wheels fell off for the Islanders fairly quickly once Christian Fischer beat Sorokin on a breakaway just over 11 minutes into the second period. It's the 28-year-old Sorokin's fifth straight loss, a stretch in which he's stumbled to a 3.66 GAA and .878 save percentage, but the issue has been with New York's defense more than it's been with Sorokin's play. With the Isles sliding out of the playoff picture though, they need their No. 1 goalie to start stealing a win or two.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Facing Red Wings
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Sorokin will be between the visiting pipes in Detroit on Thursday, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.
Sorokin is also slated to start Sunday versus the Devils with Sergei Varlamov getting the crease versus Winnipeg on Saturday, according to coach Patrick Roy. Sorokin has lost four straight games after winning five in a row. He is 22-17-11 with a 3.03 GAA and a .908 save percentage. Sorokin is 1-0-1 versus the Red Wings this season, having given up seven goals on 65 shots in those contests.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Falls to Carolina
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Sorokin stopped 30 of 33 shots in Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes. The fourth goal was an empty-netter.
The Hurricanes scored three goals late in the first period on Sorokin, including one on the power play, and the Islanders could not overcome the deficit. It was the fourth loss in a row for Sorokin and the fifth straight loss for New York. If Sorokin's save percentage starts climbing and he can string together some wins, he could still be a valuable asset down the stretch. However, there is some risk involved in starting him right now, so consider your goalie options and matchups carefully.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Gets nod Tuesday
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Sorokin will start Tuesday at home against Carolina, per Stefen Rosner of NHL.com.
Sorokin lost his third straight game Sunday, allowing five goals on 31 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers. The 28-year-old has registered a .908 save percentage and a 22-16-11 record. He will have a tough test against Carolina -- the Hurricanes are 20-11-2 on the road this year and are averaging 3.38 goals which is tied for seventh in the league.
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Islanders' Ilya Sorokin: Loses third straight
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Sorokin made 26 saves on 31 shots in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Rangers.
The 28-year-old stopped all 12 shots he faced in the first period as the Islanders grabbed a 1-0 lead, but Sorokin's bubble burst 27 seconds into the second on a Mika Zibanejad one-timer, and the Rangers never looked back. Sorokin has lost three straight starts, but Sunday's outing was his first since Feb. 20 in which he's allowed more than three goals. Over that nine-start stretch, he's posted a 2.57 GAA and .903 save percentage.
