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New York Islanders

Turning Point: Ilya Sorokin Sprawling Save on Alex Formenton

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New York Islanders

After allowing the first goal just over a minute into the 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, netminder Ilya Sorokin locked down the fort while his team did the rest.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 25 shots straight shots after allowing the second shot he faced to trickle into the back of his net. His best save of the night, the most important save of the night, came with 12:25 to play in the second period.

With the Islanders and Senators still tied at one at that point, a bad bounce over the stick of Ryan Pulock at Ottawa’s blue line saw Formenton off to the races.

But Ilya Sorokin was able to stay with his backhand move the whole way and made an incredible save to deny a go-ahead goal.

Oliver Wahlstrom gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead under three minutes later before Mathew Barzal made it 3-1 before the second came to a close.

It would have been one of those situations for the Islanders where they were outplaying a team, but the scoreboard not being in their favor.

“He was big again. I mean, he’s (Sorokin) been doing that offseason for us. He makes the saves he has to and makes the extra special ones too,” Scott Mayfield said following the win. “So when he’s going like that, and we can provide some offense for him, it’s a good night.

Sorokin came up with a few more big-time stops in the second period, and even though his night wasn’t overly burdensome, the timely saves highlighted his performance.

“We haven’t really had the best starts the past couple of games, but I mean Sorokin was good all game,” Anthony Beauvillier said. “He kept us in the game, big saves in key moments too. He gave us a chance to win again tonight.”

Sorokin has started the last two contest for the Islanders, and with Trotz leaning towards him as the go-to guy between the pipes right now, these critical saves in key moments gives his head coach confidence that he made the right decision.

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