NY Islanders Star of the Week: Ilya Sorokin Dominates in the Net

Throughout the week of Nov. 20th, the NY Islanders played four times. The Islanders would go on to win all four games to improve their record to 15-8-0 to close out the week. While the offense continued to play well, the really impressive stuff came in the net.

Ilya Sorokin played three out of four games on the week and dominated in every sense of the word. On Monday, Nov. 21, the Islanders traveled to Canada to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thanks to Anthony Beauvillier, the Islanders would go on to defeat the Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime.

Sorokin would have himself a day, as he only allowed two goals, and picked up 30 saves. His save percentage was .938%, and he was a big reason the Islanders defeated the Maple Leafs. With three minutes remaining in the third period, the Islanders trailed, 2-1. Josh Bailey would go on to tie it up and send the game to overtime. Noah Dobson picked up a goal in this game.

On Wednesday, the Islanders welcomed Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to the UBS Arena. This was Sorokin's best game of the week as he would go on to shut out the explosive Oilers offense while picking up a career-high 49 saves.

JG Pageau would score the first two goals of the game, and Sebastian Aho got in the goal column as well picking up the third and final goal of the game. The Islanders would go on to defeat the Oilers, 3-0. This was arguably Sorokin's best game as an Islander and a big reason why he would go on to be the star of the week.

""You got three kills in the third period and a team that's going to try to press with two of the best offensive players in the world, and (Sorokin) was there for every second.""

- Cal Clutterbuck on Sorokin's Play

This was Sorokin's second shutout of the season and the 12th of his young career. With this shutout, Sorokin also tied Jaroslav Halak for fifth in shutouts in team history. This shutout came in just Sorokin's 89th game. Still so young in his career, one would have to guess that Sorokin could one day be the team's shutout leader.

Simon Holmstrom also made his NHL debut in the game against the Oilers. Holmstrom would pick up his first NHL point off an assist to Oliver Wahlstrom on the first goal of the game. The third game of the week came on Friday when the Islanders traveled to Ohio to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Sorokin would continue his strong play as the Islanders would go on to defeat the Blue Jackets, 3-2. Off of goals from Wahlstrom, Pageau, and Brock Nelson, the Islanders' offense would do its job to win the game. Sorokin allowed two goals while picking up 24 saves, making his save percentage for the game .923%.

The fourth and final game of the week came when the Islanders welcomed the Philadelphia Flyers to the UBS Arena. Sorokin got to sit this game as Semyon Varlamov would start in the net. With goals by Adam Pelech, Zach Parise (twice), Nelson, and Beauvillier, the Islanders would go on to defeat the Flyers, 5-2. Ryan Pulock would have an incredibly impressive game against the Flyers as he would pick up an assist in all but one goal, tallying four in a stellar day for him.

While the offense delivered big in their respective performances, Sorokin more than did his part to win the three games he would start for the blue and orange. Still, so early in his career, the sky is truly the limit for Sorokin.