Kings 2, Bruins 1
LOS ANGELES -- Alec Martinez and Tanner Pearson scored goals and Jonathan Quick made 27 saves as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Saturday night.
Los Angeles (44-22-5) clinched a playoff spot and extended its Pacific Division lead to six points over the Anaheim Ducks. The Kings will return to the postseason after failing to qualify last season.
Boston (39-26-8) dropped to third place in the Atlantic Division, falling one point behind Tampa Bay. The loss was the Bruins' third straight on their only California trip of the season.
Tuukka Rask had 18 saves for Boston.
The Kings scored in the last minute of the first period to take a 1-0 lead.
Tanner Pearson deflected a Luke Schenn shot from the deep slot for his 13th goal of the season at 19:09. Pearson reached a career high for goals, eclipsing last year's 12 in 42 games.
The Kings extended their lead to 2-0 at 2:40 of the second period on Martinez's ninth goal of the season. His one-timer off a feed from Jake Muzzin beat a heavily screened Rask with Kopitar drawing the secondary assist.
The Bruins cut their deficit to 2-1 on Tyler Randall's sixth goal of the season at 5:46 of the second period.
Randall intercepted a pass by the Kings' Anze Kopitar from behind the Los Angeles net and fired a wrist shot past Quick for an unassisted goal and his second against Los Angeles this season.
NOTES: Boston scratched RW Brett Connolly, D Joe Morrow and D Zach Trotman. ... Bruins RW Matt Beleskey played in his 400th NHL game. ... Saturday marked the final regular-season game in the Pacific time zone for Boston. They will fly home Sunday and don't play again until Wednesday against the Rangers in New York. ... Los Angeles did not dress D Jamie McBain and C Andy Andreoff. ... The Kings' record in the second game of back-to-back games has helped them solidify their hold on first place in the Pacific Division. They are 9-1-1 on the back end of consecutive games with two pair remaining (March 21, 22 at Nashville and at Minnesota, April 4, 5 at Vancouver and at Calgary). ... Los Angeles announced its 167th consecutive sellout, a club record that commenced on Dec. 3. 2011.