Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras score in the third period and Lukas Dostal makes 36 saves as the Ducks beat their rivals for the first time in three meetings, 3-1, jeopardizing their chances of a third-place finish in the Pacific Division
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal reaches out to block a shot by the Kings’ Anze Kopitar, not pictured, during the third period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Dostal made 36 saves as the Ducks beat their rivals for the first time in three meetings this season, 3-1. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Kings’ Akil Thomas (41), right, scores a goal past Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Kings celebrate after Akil Thomas (41) scored a goal during the first period of their game against the Ducks on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kings center Akil Thomas (41) celebrates with the team bench after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal keeps his eyes on the puck after he makes a save on a shot by the Kings’ Anze Kopitar, not pictured, during the first period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe (60) controls the puck around the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, bottom, blocks a shot by Ducks left wing Alex Killorn (17) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
The Ducks’ Frank Vatrano (77) celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) reacts after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal blocks a shot by the Kings’ Anze Kopitar (11) during the first period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kings defenseman Matt Roy (3) controls the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) looks to shoot while Kings center Trevor Lewis (61) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings defenseman Andreas Englund (5) controls the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks and Kings players battle for the puck during the second period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kings goaltender Cam Talbot watches the airborne puck after blocking a shot during the second period of their game against the Ducks on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Olen Zellweger, left, chases the Kings’ Anze Kopitar as he rounds the goal during the second period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kings center Blake Lizotte (46) and Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe (60) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) reacts after a check by Ducks right wing Troy Terry (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks defenseman Gustav Lindstrom (28) checks Kings center Akil Thomas (41) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) looks to shoot the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) reacts after a blocked shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal reaches out to block a shot by the Kings’ Anze Kopitar, not pictured, during the third period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Dostal made 36 saves as the Ducks beat their rivals for the first time in three meetings this season, 3-1. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ducks center Trevor Zegras (11) looks to shoot the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings goaltender Cam Talbot, left, makes a save on a shot by the Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, right, during the third period on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Ducks’ Trevor Zegras celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ducks players celebrate a goal by Ducks center Trevor Zegras (11) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal makes a save during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kings left wing Trevor Moore (12) reacts before serving a penalty during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks left wing Alex Killorn (17) scores a goal past Kings center Akil Thomas (41) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
The Ducks’ Alex Killorn celebrates after scoring a goal during the third period of their game against the Kings on Tuesday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ducks players celebrate a goal by left wing Alex Killorn (17) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Kings Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) reacts after a blocked shot during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Ducks, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal, left, is congratulated by teammate Nikita Nesterenko after the Ducks defeated the Kings, 3-1, on Tuesday night at Honda Center. Dostal made 36 saves as the Ducks beat their rivals for the first time in three meetings this season. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
ANAHEIM — The Kings strolled into Honda Center on Tuesday night with the opportunity to clinch a playoff berth, but the Ducks had other ideas as they upended their cross-region rivals, 3-1, to capture this season’s penultimate Freeway Faceoff.
The Kings, who had taken their previous eight meetings with the Ducks, including two this season, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. The Ducks got the ball rolling on a modest two-game points streak.
The Nashville Predators clinched a playoff berth with an overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, leaving the Kings and Vegas Golden Knights still in search of a firm position in the postseason. The Kings’ chance to avenge two straight first-round playoff losses to second-place Edmonton is at risk, since Vegas is one point behind them for third place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand.
Frank Vatrano, Alex Killorn and Trevor Zegras each broke out goal-scoring celebrations for the Ducks. Ryan Strome contributed two assists, with he and Vatrano being on the ice for all three Ducks goals. Lukáš Dostál made his fifth consecutive start, moving to 2-2-1 in those games on the strength of 36 saves.
Akil Thomas scored the Kings’ lone goal and Cam Talbot made 24 saves.
For the most part, the Ducks said they were unaware of their role as spoiler, though rookie Leo Carlsson continued to show awareness beyond that of even his more seasoned peers.
“I heard about it, yeah. It’s nice to destroy their hopes a little bit,” Carlsson said.
The Kings earned the game’s first lead and played their style early on, but halfway through the first period their game flattened a bit, with costly turnovers and untimely penalties fettering their efforts.
“We wanted an easy game, that was clear, and we got an easy game, except the other team beat us,” Kings interim coach Jim Hiller said.
The Ducks pulled away with 14:10 to play when Zegras stripped Jordan Spence at the red line and strode ahead for an unassisted goal, his fifth of an injury-plagued season. Zegras nearly scored again with 7:23 remaining when his spectacular skyward deflection dinged the crossbar, with the Kings drawing no nearer.
After going scoreless in his first three games back after recovering from ankle surgery, Zegras has accumulated five points in his past five games, including his first goal in that stretch Tuesday.
“It’s tough to jump back in and play the game that you know that you can play. For him, the more games he gets, the better he’s getting,” Killorn said. “Tonight, he had that huge goal and he made a ton of good plays out there.”
A mere 82 seconds into the final frame, the Ducks appeared to take their first lead on their first power play of the night, but Killorn’s redirection goal was disallowed after a coach’s challenge determined that he had entered the zone offside.
In something of a “puck don’t lie” moment, Killorn scored 29 seconds later. He gave the puck up for Cam Fowler at the left point, received it back and curled into the high slot for a wrist shot under the bar and his 18th goal of the campaign.
“I think I’m the one who put myself offside, so it’s frustrating. It’s hard to score goals in this league, so whenever they get taken away it’s pretty tough,” Killorn said. “I was happy that I was able to get it back quickly.”
The second period yielded no goals and only one high-danger chance. Perhaps the strongest late-period play was Matt Roy’s blast on net followed by his screen and tip of Adrian Kempe’s subsequent shot attempt.
Through 40 minutes, the two sides were knotted at one, just as they had been after 20.
The Ducks found an equalizer with 2:14 left in the opening stanza. Viktor Arvidsson’s clearing attempt got gobbled at the blue line by Strome, leaving Arvidsson, among others, out of position as the puck moved to Radko Gudas and then a wide-open Vatrano at the net front. Vatrano smacked the puck into Talbot’s pad and then into the gaping left side of the net for his team-topping 33rd goal of the season.
That came on the heels off a pair of near misses after Olen Zellweger hit the post and a golden opportunity off a two-on-one was thwarted by Drew Doughty. Troy Terry waited out Talbot near the right post before sliding the puck across to Killorn for a one-timer with Talbot scrambling to recover as Doughty slid to the ice to block the shot and foil a near-certain score.
“Our first 10, 12 minutes were great, playing Kings hockey, and we kind of drifted away from that,” Kings center Blake Lizotte said. “A few guys were on their own page more than we’d like. And you have to give them credit too. They have some skilled players and took advantage of our mistakes.”
There was no doubt about the second career goal for Thomas, who has played sparingly but impressively since joining the Kings four games ago. Just 5:50 into the contest, Trevor Lewis chipped the puck into the Ducks’ zone and crashed the net, leaving a stuff-in attempt inside the blue paint for Thomas to push home amid four defenders.
“He’s been a great addition to our line and a really easy player to play with,” Lewis said of Thomas.
Lewis, a veteran of many Freeway Faceoffs in his 16 NHL seasons, said a loss to a less competitive club in which his team allowed two goals off turnovers and a de facto power-play marker to Killorn just as Trevor Moore’s penalty expired served as a reminder to stay sharp.
“These are tough games. They’re not in the playoffs but they have a lot of skill and they’re playing freely,” Lewis said. “So, you’ve got to make sure you’re on top of your game and not taking them lightly.”
