Islanders coach Barry Trotz not yet ready to give goalie Ilya Sorokin consecutive starts
Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin protects the net against the Penguins in the second period of an NHL game at Nassau Coliseum on Sunday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Barry Trotz thought about giving rookie goalie Ilya Sorokin his first consecutive starts in the NHL.
Ultimately, the Islanders coach started Semyon Varlamov in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the Devils at Prudential Center. But Trotz said 16 games in 28 days this month will likely mean more playing time for Sorokin.
"I did give him some consideration," Trotz said. "I think what we’re finding with Ilya — and I think you’re going to see a lot more of him — is that it’s allowed him to continue to adjust. He works on a piece of his game from last game. I think as you get into the real bulk of it, he’s going to take on a bigger piece of the load for Varly here. He’s had plenty of time now to adjust."
Sorokin blanked the Penguins, 2-0, on 20 saves on Sunday at Nassau Coliseum for his second straight shutout after a 3-0 win in Buffalo on Feb. 16, also on 20 saves. The third-round pick in 2014, who had 43 shutouts over five all-star seasons in the KHL, is 2-2-1 with a 2.19 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
Contact concerns
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was put on the NHL’s protocol list on Tuesday and assistant coach Todd Reirden was also unavailable for Tuesday night’s game against the Flyers because of COVID protocols.
The Islanders played the Penguins twice this weekend at the Coliseum but did not have anybody on the league’s protocol list.
Isles files
Fourth-liner Cal Clutterbuck logged 14:42 as he returned after missing two games with an undisclosed issue…Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s primary assist on Oliver Wahlstrom’s third-period goal gave him 100 for his career…Defenseman Nick Leddy’s extended his point streak to five games with an assist on that goal…The Islanders will not practice on Wednesday.
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.
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