Islanders coach Barry Trotz intended Ilya Sorokin to play more through the heavy slate of games in March.
So far, the rookie goalie is justifying the extra work.
Sorokin, starting for the third time in five games, made 24 saves for his fourth straight win in Sunday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Sabres at Nassau Coliseum.
The third-round pick in 2014, who finally joined the Islanders after five All-Star seasons in the KHL, improved to 4-2-1 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.
He had started just four of the Islanders’ first 20 games.