After two straight starts by Semyon Varlamov, the Islanders have decided to change things up and start Ilya Sorokin in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sorokin, the Vezina Trophy finalist last season, has had a tough season so far with a 3.01 goals against average and .908 save percentage. However, the Islanders are hoping that he can regain his form and help them avoid a 3-0 deficit in the series.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy said that he made the decision to start Sorokin because he believes he is playing better lately.
“I feel like he’s been controlling his rebounds better,” Roy said. “I feel like he [was] giving maybe too many rebounds at the beginning. I think right now, the puck starts to stay closer like Varly does so well and I think he’s been keeping pucks closer to him.”
The Islanders are also going to need to play better defensively in front of Sorokin. They have been outshot 65-46 in the series so far and have given up four goals in each game. They are going to need to find a way to limit the Hurricanes’ shots and give Sorokin a chance to make some saves.
“They’re very good with the traffic in front of the goalie, so our job is to try and find the puck as well as you can,” Varlamov said. “Also, of course, you don’t want to give up extra rebounds and give them that extra opportunity to score goals. That’s what they do. That’s their game. They put a lot of pressure in your net. They’re throwing the pucks from everywhere. That’s their game. That’s what they’re really good at.”
The Islanders are going to have to win ugly. They are going to need Sorokin at his very best.
