Ilya Sorokin will start Game 3 for the Islanders on Thursday night, Head Coach Patrick Roy announced during his media availability. Thursday will be Sorokin's first game of the series, as Semyon Varlamov got the starts in Games 1 and 2.
"We knew we [would] have to use both goalies," Roy said. "They're both sharp and Varly had a lot of shots the last game, so it would be good to have someone fresh for tomorrow."
While this will be Sorokin's first action in this year's playoffs, he appeared in all six playoff games for the Islanders last season against Carolina, going 2-4, with a 2.60 GAA and a .929 SV%. Roy said the decision to go with Varlamov in Games 1 and 2 was more of a reflection of how the veteran finished the season, as Varlamov went 8-1-1 from March 10 until the end of the season, with a 2.09 GAA, a .930 SV% and a shutout over that span.
"Ilya understood what was going on because Varly was playing so well," Roy said. "I just feel that he's coming in the perfect scenario, we're down two nothing in the series. Now he's going in and all he could do is go and enjoy the ride."
Sorokin was 25-19-12 this season with a 3.01 GAA, a .909 SV% and two shutouts and finished the season 3-0-1. Roy said he has seen improvements in Sorokin's rebound control of late and credited him with a strong finish the regular season.
"He's been controlling his rebounds better," Roy said. "If he sees a lot of shots, I think he's responding really well to that."
