Kings' playoff hopes dashed by nemesis Coyotes

[April 04, 2017]  LOS ANGELES -- The Coyotes usually play the Kings tough at Staples Center, yet Arizona's 2-1 victory Sunday night is likely the most difficult loss of all for Los Angeles 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 final Western Conference playoff spot with the Kings' defeat.

"It's an empty feeling and sour taste," Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. "We knew what the situation was the last few games. We gave it our all. It wasn't good enough."

Alexander Burmistrov and Anthony Duclair each scored their fourth goals of the season, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson had two assists and goaltender Mike Smith made 34 saves for Arizona.

"We want to win," Burmistrov said. "We want to beat somebody, and when we have a chance to eliminate a team out of the playoffs, we have to take our chance."

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.

"It's tough chasing the lead," said Kings coach Darryl Sutter. "We had a really good first period. We took the penalty and got the challenge. You want to get out of that period."

Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin (6) and Arizona Coyotes right wing Josh Jooris (86) go for the puck in the third period of the game at Staples Center. The Coyotes won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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.

"They are a veteran team that's been in the playoffs for a lot of years now," Smith said of the Kings. "They are not going to roll over and give us a win. They came at us hard there, and we got into some penalty trouble, and our penalty killers did an unbelievable job tonight."

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.

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