Isles goalie Ilya Sorokin will miss his third straight game
Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders cools off during a break in the second period against the Lightning at UBS Arena on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It will be either Semyon Varlamov or Cory Schneider in net for the Islanders on Friday night against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Coach Barry Trotz said Ilya Sorokin (upper body) will miss his third straight game after exiting Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Lightning at UBS Arena following the second period. Sorokin did skate on Thursday morning.
“He’s feeling better but he’s still day to day,” Trotz said.
Varlamov made 30 saves in Thursday night’s 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets at UBS Arena as he started consecutive games for the first time this season. He has never started on back-to-back nights for the Islanders.
“I don’t think he was overly taxed,” Trotz said. “That will be a decision that Varly will make. That will be a discussion with me and Varly. If not, Schneids plays tomorrow and we go from there.”
Schneider, on emergency recall from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, has extensive starting experience with both the Devils and Canucks. He is 10-10-3 with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage for Bridgeport but has not appeared in an NHL game since March 6, 2020 for the Devils.
Fischler honored on 90th birthday
The Islanders honored longtime broadcaster, hockey journalist and author Stan Fischler as he turned 90 on Thursday.
Fischler was a regular at Islanders’ games from the 1970s until he retired from MSG Networks in 2018. There was a video tribute for Fischler, who received a team-signed jersey from the Islanders and was serenaded with a round of “Happy Birthday,” from the crowd.
“To me, it’s like talking to one of those hockey legends,” said Trotz, who grew up in Dauphin, Manitoba reading Fischler in The Hockey News. “He’s one of the legendary voices of the game that documents the game, presents the game.”
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.
