Marcus Hogberg will make his second straight start for the NY Islanders tonight

Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin have been staples between the pipes for the NY Islanders since the shortened COVID season of 2020-21. Heading into this season, Cory Schneider has been the only other goalie to start a game for the Isles outside of the two Russians. 

Marcus Hogberg was brought in to solidify the goaltending position in Bridgeport, and as an insurance policy for the Islanders in case something were to happen to Sorokin or Varlamov. After a few appearances in relief, Hogberg has started two games and will start tonight, making him the first goaltender to start consecutive games for the Isles outside of Sorokin and Varlamov since Thomas Greiss during the 2019-20 season.

Marcus Hogberg to start for the Islanders again

In four appearances this season, Hogberg has been sensational. In eight periods of play, the Swede has a .950 SV% and 1.56 GAA.

Sorokin was scheduled to start on Saturday night after shutting out the league-best Vegas Golden Knights, but after feeling sick, Hogberg stepped between the pipes, allowing just one goal in the Islanders' first game in Utah. 

“The last couple of minutes, the boys were blocking so many shots,” Hogberg said after the Islanders' 2-1 victory in Utah. “The boys were doing a good job today.”

Sorokin, who is still feeling a bit under the weather, will serve as the Islanders back up.

Hogberg will start against his former team, the Ottawa Senators, who he played parts of three seasons with before spending the next three seasons in Sweden.

The Islanders enter tonight five points out of the second Wild Card, sitting behind six other teams, the Senators being one of them.