TORONTO — It had been nearly four years on the calendar since Marcus Hogberg led an NHL team out of the tunnel for warmups.
He had gone back home to Sweden in the interim, all but falling off the NHL’s radar.
For all intents and purposes, it looked as though his career on this side of the Atlantic were over.
So yes, even after losing 3-2 to the Penguins on Sunday evening, Hogberg felt like he had accomplished something in his first start in goal for the Islanders.Islanders goaltender Marcus HogbergIslanders goaltender Marcus Hogberg
“It was special,” he said. “Going back to Sweden and then coming back again after three years, or four, that’s a pretty cool feeling standing here. But I want to win.”
That he did not take home a victory was not at all his fault after Hogberg made 38 saves on 41 shots and repeatedly bailed the Islanders out late in the game, including with a late highlight-reel save on Bryan Rust.
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In fact, he did enough that it would be a surprise if Hogberg did not get another shot to start soon.
“I thought he was outstanding,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I don’t think we played well in front of him. Defensively, we gave up 40 shots or something like this. That’s too many shots in my opinion.
“… I thought he gave us a chance. He made a phenomenal save [on Rust] at the end. Kept it at a 3-2 game, gave us a chance to get back in the game.”
After Ilya Sorokin had started 12 straight games over the past month, with the Islanders clearly reluctant to go to Hogberg in the face of a lower-body injury to Semyon Varlamov, it appears they do in fact have a No. 3 goalie worthy of some trust.
Beyond the personal achievement Hogberg accomplished Sunday, that is the potential lasting impact — particularly given that Varlamov is yet to begin skating on his own, an indicator that he is not close to a return.
Even if Hogberg plays every third or fourth game, it would significantly ease a burden that Sorokin has struggled at times to carry, with an .843 save percentage over his last six starts.
The Islanders don’t need Hogberg to be a hero. But more games like Sunday’s would be more than welcome.
“He played well enough for us to win,” Bo Horvat said. “And we need to be better in front of him.”