Kiefer Sherwood scored twice, leading the visiting Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders in NHL action Wednesday night.

Derek Forbort, Aatu Raty and Teddy Blueger also scored for the Canucks (34-26-12). Casey Cizikas and Tony DeAngelo replied for the Isles (32-29-10). Thatcher Demko was sharp in earning the goaltending win, making 26 saves. Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves in a losing cause, before giving way to Marcus Hogberg, who stopped all five shots he saw.

With the win, the Canucks climbed within three points of the St. Louis Blues in the battle for the final Western Conference wildcard playoff spot. Vancouver has a game in hand. The Isles remain a single point back of the Montreal Canadiens in the race for the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.

Sherwood tips it top corner!

1-0, !

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)

After a scoreless first period, Sherwood opened the scoring 2:39 into the second with his 16th goal of the year, tipping home a Quinn Hughes shot.

Cizikas pulled the Isles even three minutes later with a shorthanded tally, capitalizing on a turnover to finish off a pass from Jean-Gabriel Pageau.

DeAngelo gave the Islanders the lead at the nine-minute mark, converting a big rebound and slotting it past Demko.

Raty, playing against his former club, made it 2-2 at 13:59, tipping home a point shot from Marcus ̨ÍåMMÂãÁÄÊÒ. Raty had three goals on the season.

With just 23 seconds left in the period, Forbort moved up on a rush, took a feed from Jake DeBrusk and fired a shot past Sorokin.

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Blueger’s eighth goal of the year came 65 seconds into the final period as he converted a pass from Conor Garland.

The Canucks are back in action Friday (4 p.m.) when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth game of a six-game road wing. Vancouver wraps up the trip Sunday (noon) in Winnipeg. The Isles visit Tampa Bay on Saturday.

NOTES: Vancouver was again without injured forwards Elias ̨ÍåMMÂãÁÄÊÒ, Nils Hoglander and Filip Chytil… Islanders coach Patrick Roy pulled his goalie for an extra attacker with more than four minutes to play… Sherwood finished with a three-point night… Pius Suter and Drew O’Connor each had two assists for the winners… Vancouver was scoreless on its only power-play chance, while the Islanders were 0-for-2.