Kings close in on playoff spot

LOS ANGELES » Like the Kings’ postseason fate, their 4-2 win over the Ducks went down to the wire at Crypto. com Arena on Saturday in a grudge match befitting Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf’s final game against the Kings.

The Kings now have 96 points, and could clinch a playoff berth as early as today with a regulation-time Vegas loss to San Jose. Second-place Edmonton, who has already clinched, and fourth-place Vegas were idle on Saturday. Vancouver lost to Calgary, rendering catching the Kings impossible and leaving the Canucks’ playoff hopes hanging by the very thinnest of threads.

Winger Arthur Kaliyev contributed a goal and an assist. Defensemen Matt Roy and Alex Edler also scored for the Kings, with winger Adrian Kempe adding an empty-netter. Centers Quinton Byfield and Anze Kopitar each recorded two assists. Jonathan Quick made 18 saves.

Center Trevor Zegras and winger Gerald Mayhew scored for the Ducks. Getzlaf had an assist. Anthony Stolarz stopped 36 of 39 shots. Center Derek Grant left the game with an injury and did not return. The Kings withstood yet another late surge to protect their onegoal lead. Though their second line was held scoreless for just the ninth time since Jan. 1, center Phillip Danault drew a penalty in the waning moments of the game that abated the Ducks’ intensity with Stolarz pulled.

Instead, it was the King scoring as Iafallo lofted the puck off his backhand and into the empty net with 24 seconds showing on the clock. Eighteen seconds later, a fight ensued near the boards though order was restored quickly.

Earlier in the third period, center Quinton Byfield and winger Carl Grundstrom generated a spectacular chance off the rush that was negated by a kick save. Instants later, Grundstrom fought winger Dominik Simon. A faceoff win by Byfield and a long shot from Edler that changed direction off Ducks center Isac Lundestrom had given the Kings their second edge of the evening with 13:39 to play.

The Kings had tied the game with 8:27 left in the second period. Some dogged forechecking left Kaliyev with the puck. He turned it back to Roy who let fly with a long, seeing-eye slapshot that entered the net between Stolarz’s pad and blocker through a Kopitar screen. Kopitar also earned the secondary assist, the 700th helper of his career.