The New York Islanders are going back to their franchise goaltender.
Head Coach Patrick Roy confirmed Friday that Ilya Sorokin will start Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators, signaling full confidence in his No. 1 goaltender despite an 0-3-0 start with a 4.18 GAA and an .854 save percentage. The matchup is historically favorable: Sorokin is 4-0-1 lifetime against Ottawa, with a 1.97 GAA and a .942 save percentage.
Roy said he met with Sorokin this week and emphasized mindset, not mechanics. He explained that while goaltending coach Piero Greco handles the technical work, he wanted Sorokin to hear directly from him.