Ilya Sorokin stood in the Islanders’ tunnel, leaning against the wall.
He had just been removed from Thursday’s 3-2 Game 3 loss to the Hurricanes, and instead of going to the bench, he opted to go somewhere a little more alone, a little calmer.
He stood there and watched for a few minutes. Then someone brought him a chair.
And this is where Sorokin sat for the rest of the period.
The Islanders declined to make Sorokin available after a performance in which he gave up all three goals on just 14 shots and got Patrick Roy’s hook after 27:14, so it’s unclear what he was thinking.
But after being the Islanders’ undisputed hero all last year, this marked the nadir of a season in which Sorokin never really looked good and lost his starting status a month ago.
“I’ll say this: We win and lose as a team. So, I’m not going to go,” Roy said afterward when asked about Sorokin. “But what I will say is that sometimes we make changes as a coach because we feel we want to change the dynamic of the game. I’ll leave it at that.
Going to Semyon Varlamov indeed changed the momentum – Varlamov was perfect on all eight shots he faced, and the Islanders closed to 3-2, closing in on some great saves from Frederik Andersen to tie the game.
But the scene was a far cry from what anyone envisioned before the match when Roy compared Sorokin to a Ferrari – and to himself.
Now, there’s a conversation to be had about Sorokin as the Islanders’ season ends.
Can Sorokin regain his 2022-23 form? Does Roy trust him enough to make him the undisputed starter next season? And if the answer to either of those questions is no, then can the Islanders do anything with an eight-year extension worth $66 million that takes effect July 1?
Goaltenders tend to run hot and cold, and the Islanders shouldn’t have any major concerns about Sorokin’s long-term viability just yet.
But it puts a different shade on training camp and certainly the first time Sorokin struggles next season.
As for his confidence – which could be an issue in the short term – Roy didn’t want to address that issue.
“You won’t like my answer, but right now I’m more focused on the team than our goalie,” Roy said. “We have a goalkeeping coach (Piero Greco) who is doing a very good job and I prefer to concentrate on preparing for our next match and we play at 2 p.m. on Saturday. This is where I need and want to focus.
New York Post
