Read reports from Thursday’s NHL games.
Islanders win 2-1 over Capitals
Pierre Engvall scored a second goal in as many games, Ilya Sorokin made 28 saves and the New York Islanders defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 in a shootout on Wednesday.
The Islanders thus increased their grip on the first extra pass giving access to the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. With five games to play, they have a five-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins and a six-point lead over the Florida Panthers.
Sorokin played a key role in net for the Islanders, stopping two of three opposing shooters in the shootout after multiple big saves earlier in the game. The star goaltender is 8-1-1 in his last 10 games.
Engvall scored his sixth goal since being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Islanders.
Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri moved the ropes for the Islanders in the tiebreaker.
The Islanders are 11-4-2 since star center Mathew Barzal suffered a lower-body injury. Coach Lane Lambert said there’s nothing new about the condition of the team’s second-ranked scorer.
Conor Sheary scored in regulation time for the Capitals, while Darcy Kuemper stopped 25 shots in 65 minutes.
Stephen Whyno, Associated Press
Panthers win 3-2 in overtime against Maple Leafs
PHOTO JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI, USA TODAY SPORTS
Brandon Montour (62) scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the Panthers.
Brandon Montour scored 1:41 into overtime and backup goaltender Alex Lyon made 38 saves to help the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Wednesday.
This victory for the Panthers helped the team to continue to believe in its chances of making the playoffs.
Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell scored the other Panthers goals (37-31-7). Montour had one assist, finishing the game with two points.
Auston Matthews and Zach Aston-Reese scored for the Maple Leafs (44-20-10). Ilya Samsonov stopped 26 shots.
William Nylander lost the puck in the offensive zone during overtime and Montour took the opportunity to beat Samsonov 2-1.
Lyon also stole a goal from Matthews earlier in extra time, keeping their side in the game.
The Panthers started the game three points behind in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They had lost their last four games in regulation time.
Matthews scored his 37e goal of the season after 6:40 of play in the third period, on a pass from Mitch Marner, beating Lyon between the pads to tie the game 1-1.
Matthews has six goals and five assists in a seven-game point streak. Marner has scored at least one point in his last 11 games.
The Panthers got a power play with less than eight minutes left in regulation, but Samsonov and the special teams got the job done for the Maple Leafs.
The Panthers pulled Lyon in favor of an extra forward, then Reinhart tied the game with 59 seconds left.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press