Ilya Sorokin was placed on IR with a lower-body injury, retroactive to 12/20/25, on Saturday morning. Marcus Hogberg was recalled on emergency from Bridgeport in a corresponding move.
Sorokin is 12-10-2 this season with a 2.55 GAA, a .910 SV% and three shutouts.
With Sorokin out, David Rittich is expected to play his third straight game on Saturday. Rittich is 2-0-1 in his last three starts, stopping 92-of-97 shots.
Sorokin's retroactive IR designation means the earliest he could be activated is Dec. 28, when the Isles wrap up a back-to-back set in Columbus, but Head Coach Patrick Roy said it's unlikely that the netminder plays in that game. If Sorokin can't go in Columbus, Rittich is expected to play in both halves of the back-to-back set.
Rittich has started both ends of a back-to-back four times in his career, with a 2-1-1 record in the second half.
Dec. 15, 2018 at MIN - W 2-1 | 34 saves
Dec. 16, 2018 at STL - W 7-2 | 26 saves
Feb. 24, 2021 at TOR - OTL 2-1 | 37 saves
Feb. 25, 2021 at OTT - L 6-1 | 16 saves
Oct. 16, 2024 at TOR - L 6-2 | 10 saves
Oct. 17, 2024 at MTL - W 4-1 | 26 saves
Feb. 7, 2025 vs DAL - W 5-4 | 26 saves
Feb. 8, 2025 vs ANA - SOL 2-1 | 25 saves
