Marcus Hogberg will get the start for the New York Islanders on Saturday against the Calgary Flames. It’ll mark the first start since Mar. 9 in Anaheim for the Swedish netminder, who has a 2-3-0 record, a .938 SV%, a 1.70 GAA and through six starts and eight appearances.
Head Coach Patrick Roy explained that he wants to give Ilya Sorokin proper stretch as the Isles head into a crucial stretch of the season.
“We're playing almost every other day," Roy said. "I know we have a back-to-back game in Tampa and Carolina after the homestand, so we're going to try to manage [Sorokin's] schedule as best as we can."
Sorokin is 5-1-1 in his last seven starts, along with a .927 SV% and a 2.28 GAA over that span. He played a huge role in a pair of 4-2 comeback wins on Sunday and Tuesday, as well as a 38-save effort on Thursday in a 4-3 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens.
"It's impressive the way he's been playing," Roy said of Sorokin. "He's been playing with so much confidence and he brings so much confidence to the team. He's in his zone and giving us a chance to win every night. When we're down by a goal or two, he keeps us in it."
Roy said that solid goaltending will be key as the Isles make a push for the playoffs. The Islanders (72 points) stand two points back of the Montreal Canadiens (74 points) for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The team hit the ice for an intense practice on Friday morning at Northwell Health Ice Center.
"If you practice well and compete in your practice, you bring it to your game," Roy said. "I'm a big believer that if you practice well, that you'll bring it to your games."
