Goalie Ilya Sorokin, voted an All-Star, plays like one, but Islanders fall to Sabres in OT
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin blocks a shot by Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt as left wing Victor Olofsson watches during the first period of an NHL game on Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y. Credit: AP/Joshua Bessex
BUFFALO — Ilya Sorokin was voted an NHL All-Star for the first time on Thursday night and certainly played like one against the Sabres, keeping the Islanders in it through a horrendous start.
The problem for the Islanders, though, is they haven’t been good enough to translate Sorokin’s All-Star play into two-point performances.
Sorokin made 42 saves but couldn’t stop Dylan Cozens’ breakaway 12 seconds into overtime as the Sabres won, 3-2, at KeyBank Center.
“A lot of emotion, frustration,” said Brock Nelson, the Islanders’ other All-Star, who snapped a 14-game goal drought with his team-high 16th at 7:19 of the first period. “For Sorokie, that’s probably one of the better games to give us a chance to win it in a game maybe where we didn’t control the play.”
The Islanders (23-19-5) had their skid extended to 1-4-3 after ending a disappointing 1-2-2 homestand with a 4-1 loss to the NHL-best Bruins on Wednesday night. They have the same 51 points as the Penguins, in the second wild-card spot, but have played three more games.
“It’s hard,” said Sorokin, a five-time KHL All-Star who started for the 13th time in 15 games. “Overtime goal was a good goal. I appreciate the fans who vote for me but, just right now, focus on our game, not about the All-Star Game.
“I don’t have frustration. Every day is a new game. If you overthink too much, it’s not good for you and your emotional stability.”
An equally sharp Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 24 saves for the Sabres (22-19-3), who have scored the third-most goals in the NHL.
The Sabres tied it at 2-2 at 9:32 of the third period as Casey Mittelstadt found Victor Olofsson open on the left. The equalizer came just 39 seconds after Luukkonen robbed Anthony Beauvillier from the right circle with his glove.
“Clearly we need the extra point more consistently,” coach Lane Lambert said. “They came hard, as we knew they would on an emotional night. The second game of a back-to-back. We blocked [28] shots. I judge the game as we were extremely committed.”
The Sabres inducted former goalie Ryan Miller into their hall of fame and retired his No. 30 jersey in a pregame ceremony.
Lambert altered his lineup for a second straight night, but the Islanders have scored only 10 goals in their last six games. William Dufour was sent back to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport after making his NHL debut on Wednesday.
Hudson Fasching, who has earned a full-time role on the third line, missed the game with a lower-body injury and is day-to-day.
So Simon Holmstrom drew back after being a healthy scratch on Wednesday. Ross Johnston, playing for the first time in six games, was on the fourth line as Lambert elevated Cal Clutterbuck to Mathew Barzal’s top line with Anders Lee.
But Lambert was liberally mixing and matching his combinations by the second period and Clutterbuck exited for the dressing room at 18:03 of the second period, day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Matt Martin gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 18:30 of the second period. Alex Tuch had tied the score at 8:26 of the second period after defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s initial shot was blocked.
Sorokin, and pretty much Sorokin alone, helped the Islanders to a 1-0 lead after the first period.
The Islanders were outshot 19-5 in the first 20 minutes, outchanced 36-9 and, per NaturalStatTrick.com, the Sabres held an 11-2 advantage in high-danger chances. The Islanders offered little defensive resistance either in the neutral zone or at the blue line.
Said Martin, “We made a little bit of an adjustment on that.”
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.
