Sherwood and Demko lead Canucks to 5-2 win over Islanders

NEW YORK (AP) — Kiefer Sherwood had two goals and one assist, Thatcher Demko finished with 26 saves and the Vancouver Canucks beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Wednesday night.

Aatu Raty, Derek Forbort and Teddy Blueger also scored for Vancouver.

Casey Cizikas and Tony DeAngelo scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 15 saves before getting pulled early in the third period. Marcus Hogberg had five saves in relief.

The Canucks scored three times in a 7:06 stretch to take a 4-2 lead after the Islanders took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period.

Blueger scored 65 seconds into the third period to chase Sorokin. Sherwood added an empty-net goal with 1:52 remaining.

The Islanders remain on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture after losing three of four on a four-game homestand.

Canucks: Demko started his second straight game since returning to the lineup after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 8. The 2024 Vezina candidate also missed the first 24 games of the regular season while recovering from a knee injury sustained during the first game of the 2024 playoffs.

Islanders: DeAngelo gave the Islanders a short-lived one goal lead in the second period and extended his point streak to four games (one goal, four assists).

Demko made two stellar saves on Bo Horvat in the first period which allowed Vancouver to weather an early barrage from the Islanders and eventually score the first goal when Sherwood redirected a shot from Quinn Hughes.

Raty scored his third of the season to even the score at 2-2 in his first game back at UBS arena since the Islanders traded him and additional assets for Horvat in January 2023.

The Canucks visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday while the Islanders play at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Vancouver Canucks' Dakota Joshua (81) fights for control of the puck with New York Islanders' Alexander Romanov (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin (30) stops a shot by Vancouver Canucks' Jonathan Lekkerimäki (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Vancouver Canucks' Derek Forbort (27) fights for control of the puck with New York Islanders' Pierre Engvall (18) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Anthony Duclair (11) fights with Vancouver Canucks' Marcus Pettersson (29) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko protects the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44) and Dakota Joshua (81) celebrates with Aatu Raty as New York Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov (7) looks awaya aafter Raty scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Vancouver Canucks' Kiefer Sherwood (44) looks to pass away from New York Islanders' Bo Horvat (14) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers are opening the practice window for star linebacker Fred Warner with the hope that he could return if the team reaches the NFC title game.

Warner has been out since breaking and dislocating his right ankle in a loss at Tampa Bay on Oct. 12, with coach Kyle Shanahan initially describing it as a season-ending injury.

But Warner has been rehabbing since then and even was able to run on a side field last week during practice. Now he will be back officially at practice as the 49ers prepare to play Seattle in the divisional round on Saturday night and could return if San Francisco wins.

“We’re not doing much so he’ll walk through out there with us today and things like that, but hoping he can be ready for next week,” Shanahan said Tuesday.

Warner's presence on the practice field even for a walkthrough provided an emotional lift for the 49ers.

“For someone who really set the standard here, I would do anything to play with him again this year,” defensive tackle Kalia Davis said. “We want him back out there.”

Eric Kendricks is currently manning Warner's spot at middle linebacker after backup Tatum Bethune got hurt but wasn't ready to talk about what Warner's possible return would do for the team.

“We’re aren’t going to talk about next week, right? We’ve got Seattle,” Kendricks said. “We’ve got to beat Seattle. Let’s pump our brakes. We have to beat Seattle this week. .. This is what meaningful football is all about.”

The 49ers have made it this far despite losing their top two defensive players to injuries early in the season, with defensive end Nick Bosa going down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 and Warner getting hurt in Week 6.

Warner has been pushing to make a return and if he can, that would provide a needed boost. But Shanahan said the final decision will be in the hands of the team doctors.

“If he feels good and tells me he’s good, I’m probably going to think he is and trust him to get out there,” Shanahan said. “But you can't always think with your heart and emotionally. So you ask doctors where he’s at, all the things that these guys have to pass, just protocols that we have in with just sprinting and jumping and things like that. He’s got to hit all those before we feel it’s safe.”

But Shanahan added that as soon as the doctors clear Warner, "obviously it’ll be zero decision on my part.”

Warner had been a first-team All-Pro three straight seasons from 2022-24 and made the squad in 2020. His 947 career tackles are the second most for the team, behind Patrick Willis’ 950, as far as records go back to 2000.

Warner had missed only one game in his eight-year career before this injury, sitting out in 2021 with a hamstring injury. He played most of last season with a broken bone in his ankle and still earned All-Pro honors.

Warner signed a three-year extension worth $63 million in the offseason, keeping him under contract with the team through the 2029 season.

In other injury news, safety Ji'Ayir Brown (hamstring) and Luke Gifford (quadriceps) all would have been unable to practice had the team held a session. Receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee), linebacker Dee Winters (ankle), guard Dominick Puni (ankle) and defensive lineman Keion White (groin, hamstring) all would have been limited.

Shanahan also said tight end George Kittle is set to have surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon on Wednesday. Kittle went on injured reserve Tuesday and tight end Brayden Willis was signed from the practice squad.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

FILE - San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner is carted off the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa, Fla., Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)

FILE - San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) runs to the locker room after pregame warm-ups before an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct 12, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)