Sorokin Named NHL First Star of the Week

The National Hockey League has named New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin the First Star of the Week for the period ending December 7.

Sorokin, 30, posted a 3-0-0 record last week, stopping 97-of-101 shots faced for a .960 save percentage and a 1.33 goals-against average across two games versus the Tampa Bay Lightning and one game against the Colorado Avalanche. Sorokin stopped all 32 shots he faced on December 6 against Tampa for his third shutout of the season and the 25th of his career, which tied Glenn ‘Chico' Resch for the Islanders all-time franchise record.

In 20 starts this season, Sorokin has a 10-8-2 record with a .912 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average. He is one of two goaltenders to have at least three shutouts this season. Over his last 12 starts since November 1, Sorokin has gone 7-4-1 with a .934 save percentage, a 1.84 goals-against average and three shutouts.

The Islanders selected Sorokin in the third round (78^th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft out of CSKA Moscow (KHL). Now in his sixth season with the Islanders, Sorokin also ranks third in franchise history in wins (135), starts (268) and saves (7,434), and is fourth in games played (273). His 2.57 career goals-against average is also the second lowest by any franchise goaltender who has appeared in more than 50 games for the club. This is Sorokin’s second First Star award, the other earned for the period ending February 2, 2025, and marks the fourth time in his career he has been selected as one of the league’s weekly stars.