Kings' playoff hopes dashed by nemesis Coyotes
LOS ANGELES -- The Arizona Coyotes have played Los Angeles tough at Staples Center the past two seasons, and their 2-1 victory Sunday night was the most difficult loss of all for the Kings to swallow.
Arizona's fifth straight win at Staples Center eliminated the Kings from playoff contention for the second time in three seasons. Los Angeles came into the game still clinging to postseason hopes after Nashville lost 4-1 at the St. Louis Blues earlier Sunday, but the Predators clinched the Western Conference's final playoff spot with the Kings' loss.
Alexander Burmistrov and Anthony Duclair each scored their fourth goals of the season, Oliver Ekman-Larsson had two assists, and goaltender Mike Smith made 34 saves for Arizona.
Defenseman Alec Martinez cut the Kings' deficit to 2-1 early in the third period, and Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick made 13 saves.
After Coyotes left winger Brendan Perlini was denied a power-play goal 26 seconds earlier when a coach's challenge revealed defenseman Anthony DeAngelo was offside prior to the score, Arizona took a 1-0 with 14.7 seconds left in the opening period on the same power play.
Ekman-Larsson passed the puck from the top of the right circle to Burmistrov, who was stationed near the left post. Burmistrov's first shot was saved by the outstretched right pad of Quick, but Burmistrov quickly shot the rebound into the net for 1-0 lead -- his third goal in the last two games.
The Kings (37-34-7) had killed off 79 of the previous 86 power plays, the best rate in the NHL in that span. Arizona improved to 4 of 14 on the power play against Los Angeles this season.
The Coyotes (29-41-9) stretched the score to 2-0 at 3:09 of the second.
After two giveaways by the Kings in their zone, Max Domi passed the puck from behind the Los Angeles net to Duclair. His first shot hit traffic in front of the net, but he pounced on the rebound and shot it by Quick for his fourth goal.
The Kings cut the deficit to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 4:21 of the third. Martinez was attempting to dump the puck into the Arizona zone, but it hit Coyotes forward Jordan Martinook on the inside of his right leg and was redirected though the skates of Luke Schenn and into the goal after Smith left the crease to chase the dump-in.
The Kings had three more power plays in the third period but couldn't capitalize.
NOTES: Arizona D Kevin Connauton returned after missing 15 games with an upper-body injury. ... Arizona D Jakob Chychrun was a healthy scratch. ... Arizona C Clayton Keller, the seventh overall pick from last summer's draft who made his debut Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues, was also a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... Referee Mike Leggo worked his final game after 20 seasons in the NHL.