Read reports from Thursday’s NHL games.

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 have thus increased their grip on the first additional 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 was nothing new regarding 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.