Bo Horvat was back as expected Saturday, but the Islanders’ initial diagnosis on Ilya Sorokin was, evidently, a tad optimistic.
While Horvat returned from a lower-body injury for the 2-0 win over the Rangers, Sorokin was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury of his own ahead of the match, with Marcus Hogberg continuing to back up David Rittich as an emergency recall.
Coach Patrick Roy said that there was no setback for Sorokin, who worked on the ice with goaltending coach Sergei Naumovs before the Islanders skated Saturday morning. The Islanders had initially said Sorokin was using the holiday break to deal with a “nagging issue” and would be back after it ended.
“Right now [he] looks good,” Roy said. “Is he gonna play tomorrow? Probably not. But we feel like he’ll be back pretty soon. He’s feeling better every day.”
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) makes a stop during the first period when the New York Islanders played the Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY PostSorokin will travel to Columbus with the Islanders on Sunday when they face the Blue Jackets on the second end of a back-to-back, but the plan is for Rittich — who made 27 saves for his second shutout of the year on Saturday — to play both games, Roy said.
It’s possible that Sorokin will be ready to play Tuesday against the Blackhawks when the Islanders wrap up the short two-game trip, but Roy did not say definitively one way or the other.
The injured reserve designation is mostly a formality for Sorokin, who is eligible to be activated on Sunday, seven days after his retroactive designation, dated Dec. 20.
As for Horvat, the Islanders’ 2-2-1 mark in five games without their leading scorer counts as a bullet dodged. He skated 22:42, going back to his usual spots on the power play and penalty kill, recording four shots and nine shot attempts.
“If I’m gonna play, I’m gonna play in any situation,” he said before the game. “Obviously feeling good about myself and my game. Just go out there and do what I do.”
New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) makes a save during the third period at UBS Arena on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTAnthony Duclair drew out as a healthy scratch as a result of Horvat coming back. Horvat centered the top line between Jonathan Drouin and Emil Heineman while Jean-Gabriel Pageau — who had been in that spot — moved to Cal Ritchie’s right wing on the third line.
“It was a tough one, I won’t lie,” Roy said of scratching Duclair for the first time this season. “Everybody’s playing so well, it’s heartbreaking to get guys out of the lineup, but we knew we had to make that decision when Bo would be back.”
104-year-old World War II veteran and saxophonist Dominick Critelli played the national anthem in front of a sellout crowd at UBS Arena.
