Patrick Roy always preferred back-to-back starts during his playing career.
At least, Ilya Sorokin probably doesn't care at this point. On Sunday, he found the back of the net for Ottawa while Semyon Varlamov was out with a lower-body injury, marking just the fourth time in the last four seasons that he's started on both ends of back-to-back games.
“There were a lot of back-to-back games. The second game I almost felt better than the first,” Roy said before the match. “I think we're all different. Elijah is doing really well, so I'm not nervous.”
In fact, Sorokin didn't seem to be affected by the lack of rest, making 28 saves in the Islanders' game against the Senators.
In fact, the goalie was a key element in that victory, with the Senators dominating much of the game and repeatedly bailing out the Islanders in a game in which 5-on-5 scoring chances went 28-6 to Ottawa.
So if there was any concern about whether Sorokin could come up with a big save in a key moment or steal the game for the Islanders, it should be gone now.
However, questions remain over Varlamov's situation for the time being.
Earlier this week, Roy called the injury “short-term for now,” but the Islanders wanted to avoid this situation for the time being and have one goaltender in their organization who is comfortable playing in NHL games. It seems clear that there is only one. Until Varlamov returns.
Marcus Hogberg, who currently supports Sorokin, was signed as the third goaltender this summer after suffering the same issue last January, but clearly hasn't given him enough confidence to put him on the ice. do not have.
Hogberg appeared in 13 games with AHL Bridgeport, posting an .898 save percentage and a 3.26 goals against average.
He stopped all 11 shots Thursday night in relief of Sorokin, who was ejected in the third period of a 5-2 loss to the Kraken. He has appeared in 43 NHL games, all but one of which came with the Senators between 2018 and 2021.
Pierre Engvall returned to the lineup after Saturday's win against the Hurricanes, skating on the fourth line. Hudson Fasching is a healthy scratch for the first time since Nov. 27.
