Ilya Sorokin Named NHL’s Third Star of the Week

Ilya Sorokin’s impressive week earned the New York Islanders goaltender a nod from the NHL. Sorokin was named the league’s third star of the week on Monday for going 3-0-1 in his last four games.

Sorokin helped the Islanders pick up at least a point in each of their last four games this past week and finished the stretch with a 0.99 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage. Sorokin stopped 136 of the 140 shots he faced last week.

Ilya Sorokin stopped a career-high 42 shots in Sunday’s 2-0 shutout over the Vegas Golden Knights and became the first Islanders goaltender to record a shutout in consecutive days.

“He’s never played a back-to-back,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said on Sunday after the win. “I thought he was really dialed in. I thought that was great.”

Good Morning!! 🌞 ☕ While you were asleep the @NYIslanders won their hockey game due Ilya Sorokin securing another shutout the DAY after he did it to Arizona. It's a franchise record. Feel free to tell every hockey fan you run into today all about it. pic.twitter.com/8k4xTrSI1R

— Isles on MSG+ (@IslesMSGN) October 25, 2021

The Islanders have needed strong goaltending out of Ilya Sorokin, who has been starting in place of Semyon Varlamov. The more experienced goaltender has been dealing with “soreness” since training camp, which paved the way for Sorokin to start.

After a rough start to the year, Sorokin has settled into the role as the team’s No. 1 goalie.

“He’s been outstanding,” Casey Cizikas said. “He’s won us games and he’s kept us in games, so back-to-back shutouts to finish a road trip that’s big. You can see he’s comfortable in there, he’s confident in there and he’s not giving too many second opportunities up.

“He’s standing tall and he’s winning us games.”

This season has marked the first time that Sorokin has started six games in a row. The Islanders do not play their next game until Oct. 30 in Nashville.