Islanders shut down Ilya Sorokin for the holiday break

The Islanders won’t have Bo Horvat back until after the NHL’s holiday break even as their leading scorer resumed skating with the team. And No. 1 goalie Ilya Sorokin will be given an extended rest this week as well.

That was the mixed news on two of the Islanders’ top players at Monday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. The Islanders face the Devils on Tuesday night at UBS Arena before a league-wide, three-day hiatus.

Goalie David Rittich will make a second straight start after stopping 30 shots in Saturday’s 3-2, five-round shootout loss in Buffalo as the Islanders (19-13-4) look to snap a three-game losing streak. Sorokin (12-10-2, 2.55 goals-against average, .910 save percentage) was shut down and did not practice for what the team announced was a “small, nagging issue.”

Goalie Marcus Hogberg was brought up from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport on Monday on emergency recall with an NHL roster freeze in effect through the end of the holiday break.

“The team is taking advantage of the holiday break to rest (Sorokin),” the Islanders announced. “He is expected back after the holiday break.”

Horvat will miss his fifth game with a lower-body injury but practiced, albeit in a red, non-contact jersey, with the team for the first time since getting hurt on Dec. 11.

“Skating on your own stinks,” Horvat said. “It’s good to be back in the room with the guys and back on the ice. Can’t wait to get back out there playing games as soon as possible.”

The Islanders face the Rangers on Saturday night at UBS Arena before starting a two-game road trip on Sunday against the Blue Jackets. Horvat said he hoped to play against the Rangers, though he did not want to put a definitive timeline on his return. Sorokin should play in one of those back-to-back games as well.

“It was something that was nagging him,” coach Patrick Roy said. “We didn’t want to take any chances.

The Islanders have lost three of four without Horvat, scoring just seven goals in that span. He did not participate in line rushes or work with a power-play unit during Monday’s practice.

Horvat leads the Islanders with 19 goals and 31 points in 32 games and was injured in a 5-2 win over the Ducks when his left ankle bent awkwardly as he fell in the second period after getting his right skate caught with Drew Helleson.

“It’s the best out of a tough situation,” Horvat said. “When it first happened, I was pretty scared, pretty worried. But it’s been healing pretty quick. I’m feeling pretty good out there. It’s getting better day by day and just try to get back as soon as possible.”

Horvat said his fears about having suffered a major injury were alleviated almost immediately after he left the ice on Dec. 11 and examined by the team’s medical staff.

“I went down the tunnel and basically ran in there and said, ‘Check everything. Make sure everything’s OK,’” Horvat said. “They were confident that it wasn’t anything too serious. It kind of put my mind at ease. Right when it happens, you have no idea. You just feel pain and you’re trying to get off (the ice) and get seen as soon as possible.”

Fellow top-six center Mathew Barzal has put together a seven-game point streak (two goals, six assists) to push the Islanders’ offense without Horvat. Barzal was asked whether he puts even more pressure on himself to produce with Horvat absent.

“I think everybody feels that way, everyone’s got to tow on the rope a little bit harder,” Barzal said. “Sure, I might feel that way a little bit but everyone feels that way. You can patch the hole as best that you can. You’re never going to fully patch it with Bo being out.”

Notes & quotes: Laurel Hollow’s Marshall Warren is expected to play his first NHL game at UBS Arena. It will be the 24-year-old rookie defenseman’s fourth game with the Islanders…Rookie right wing Max Shabanov is expected to draw back into the lineup for Max Tsyplakov after being a healthy scratch for the first time against the Sabres.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.