Running Out Of Words: Ilya Sorokin Makes INCREDIBLE Save in First Period

ST LOUIS–Heading into St. Louis, the New York Islanders were set to face a feisty St. Louis Blues’ team that is more talented than the five-game losing streak it was suffering. Without the play of Ilya Sorokin, the deficit after the first period would be much greater than 1-0.

Ilya Sorokin was stout in net, making nine saves through 20 minutes. Three of those nine saves were considered high-danger chances per our friends over at Natural Stat Trick.

One of his saves was what we would call high-high danger, as you just got to see it.

The Blues took advantage of the Islanders’ lackadaisical play in the defensive end, turning a three-man rush into a spectacular cross-crease chance for Jake Neighbors.

Before the puck made its way to Neighbors, Jordan Kyrou skated through the left circle after a pass from Robert Thomas. Sorokin, having to respect the Kyrou shot and does.

Quickly Kyrou fed the puck to Jake Neighbours towards the back post, which in most situations is a tap-in.

But not against Ilya Sorkin:

Ilya Sorokin is a highlight machine. #Isles pic.twitter.com/ZFjLi2khDF

— Isles Territory (@IslesTerritory) November 4, 2022

We are running out of words for Ilya Sorokin’s saves. So are his teammates and coach.

“You see it every night with this guy, and he’s just spectacular. He seems to make really big saves when we really need them. Just a tremendous goalie, a tremendous teammate, and honestly, we’re lucky to have him,” Matt Martin said. 

“It’s an all-world save. He can move laterally, and it’s just a fantastic save for us,” head coach Lane Lambert said.”

Sorokin explained to me his thought process on the play.

“It’s so quick. I think it’s instinct,” Sorokin said. “So I know that there was player [to the] side, so I play non-aggressive.”

Sloppiness was the M.O. for the Islanders through the first period, especially early on. While the Blues were certainly pressing and playing well, the Islanders could not match the intensity in their own end.

The team failed to clear the zone in the first few shifts but managed to weather the St. Louis storm with the help of Sorokin.

Here’s our story from this morning about the best from Ilya Sorokin in the locker room and on the ice so far this season.

From Words to Actions: The Best of Ilya Sorokin So Far

That save is being added, along with what he said postgame.

Matt Watling contributed to this piece