Islanders’ Goalkeeper Sorokin Seeks Redemption After Tough Game

The Islanders faced a tough loss against the Penguins on Monday at UBS Arena, leaving their goalie, Ilya Sorokin, with little support.

Now, the question is whether coach Patrick Roy will give this Vezina Trophy candidate a chance to bounce back quickly.

“We need to discuss how things went in that game and analyze where we stand,” Roy mentioned before their upcoming match in Buffalo on Tuesday.

Sorokin, who suffered a rough outing, allowing a career-high seven goals, reassured that he was ready to handle consecutive games from a physical standpoint. Mentally, he felt prepared as well.

“These things happen,” Sorokin noted. “It’s just one game in hockey.”

Earlier in the day, Roy showed enthusiasm for his key players to step up during the season’s final two weeks. Sorokin, who has only played back-to-back games once this season, had a standout performance on March 22 with his league-leading seventh shutout in a crucial 1-0 victory against Columbus.

Starting Tuesday, the Islanders will have a short break before facing Philadelphia on Friday and then entering another back-to-back situation against Carolina on Saturday. They have more back-to-backs planned later, including one on April 11, when they face Ottawa right before playing Montreal.

“He’s not accustomed to heavy workloads lately,” Roy remarked. “I think we’re handling this well. It’s crucial to take it one game at a time. Focus on today rather than tomorrow.”

“The mind often falters before the body does. Physically, one can endure more than expected, but it’s about convincing the mind. That’s been our situation. He’s been a strong asset for us. When we slip up, he bails us out. We want to avoid turnovers and breakaways, but that’s why you have top-tier players,” he added.

Mathew Barzal also had a notable performance, breaking a nine-game scoring drought to reach 19 points this season. Meanwhile, Cal Ritchie contributed two assists, marking a five-game point streak. The Islanders managed to score on the power play, getting one goal on two attempts, though they also allowed a power-play goal for the first time in five matches.

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo has been sidelined with a lower-body injury for three games and has yet to return to the ice. On the other hand, Alexander Romanov participated in a morning skate in a non-contact jersey.