Ilya Sorokin added another line to an already impressive resume on Saturday night, and this one put him in a class all by himself among the 2014 NHL Draft goaltenders.
The New York Islanders netminder stopped all 37 shots he faced in a 6-0 home win over the New Jersey Devils, picking up the 30th shutout of his NHL career. That made Sorokin the first goalie from the 2014 draft class to reach the 30-shutout mark.
There were 21 goaltenders taken in that draft, and the gap behind Sorokin is sizable. His close friend Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers, the No. 118 pick, is next on the list with 22 shutouts.
Former Columbus Blue Jackets and current Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Elvis Merzlikins, selected No. 76, ranks third with 12. Islanders third-stringer Vitek Vanecek, the No. 39 pick, has 11, while Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, taken No. 36, rounds out the top five with 10.
Sorokin’s shutout total has piled up quickly in recent seasons. He was the NHL leader with seven shutouts last season and also topped the league in 2022-23 with six. In 2021-22, he came close again with seven, but Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom finished ahead of him with nine.
The 30th shutout also pushed Sorokin past a franchise benchmark he reached last season, when he moved ahead of Islanders great Chico Resch’s 25 shutouts to take over the club lead. Sorokin also entered last season as the Vezina Trophy runner-up to Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
In Other News...
Islanders Bring Back A Beloved Home Opener Moment Fans Will Remember
The Islanders are set to open their home schedule with a familiar and heartwarming face in the spotlight. Dominick Critelli, a 105-year-old World War II veteran and decorated Army staff sergeant, will return to UBS Arena to perform the national anthem before the game against the Devils, bringing back the kind of pregame moment that tends to linger with a crowd long after the puck drops.
Critelli already left a mark on Islanders fans once, when he played the anthem on his saxophone before a game last December and drew a memorable reaction inside the building. He still practices the instrument every day, and this latest appearance gives the home opener a personal touch that fits the kind of connection the Islanders have tried to build with their fans at Nassau Countys successor in Elmont. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders New-Look Lineup Just Delivered A Much-Needed Boost
The Islanders got the kind of response they were looking for in their home opener, rolling past the Devils 6-0 and giving a new-look lineup an immediate lift. Simon Holmstrom, Brayden Schenn, Bo Horvat, Victor Eklund, Ondrej Palat and Casey Cizikas all found the net, a balanced scoring outburst that suggested there may be more depth here than the early chatter around the roster change. It was the sort of start that can settle a building quickly and give a team some much-needed confidence.
Ilya Sorokin made sure the result never got away from New York, turning away New Jersey chances while the Islanders kept adding to the lead. The Devils had looks on the power play, but nothing they tried broke through, and the night ended with the kind of all-around performance the Islanders have been searching for as they try to make this reshaped group feel a little more settled. There was also a milestone baked into the win that fit the mood perfectly, even if it almost got lost in the scoring parade. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Fans Just Got An Emotional Reminder Of A Beloved Voice
Howie Rose has been part of New York sports for so long that his voice feels tied to the seasons themselves, and recent days brought one of those quiet reminders of just how much he has meant to the Islanders community. After recently calling the final Mets game of his broadcasting career, Rose is preparing to move with his wife to Florida on Monday, closing another major chapter in a New York run that stretched across generations of fans.
The Islanders recognized Rose for his long run behind the microphone, and several former and current players and colleagues took the chance to reflect on the way he covered the team and connected with people around it. For a fan base that grew up hearing him on television, the moment carried a familiar mix of gratitude and sadness, the kind that comes when a beloved voice is still very much present but about to become part of memory. [Read more 🡒]