ANAHEIM, Calif. — Adrian Kempe had three objectives and an help and the Los Angeles Kings clinched third place within the Pacific Division on Thursday evening with a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, who could have the most effective odds within the draft lottery after ending with the NHL’s worst document.
Captain Anze Kopitar scored a first-period purpose that made him Los Angeles’ main scorer for the fifteenth time within the final 16 seasons, whereas Kempe and Trevor Moore scored 49 seconds aside within the second interval of the 159th regular-season version of the Freeway Faceoff.
Kempe accomplished his fourth profession hat trick on an empty-net purpose with 1:39 to play, and dozens of visiting Kings followers littered the ice in celebration. Roughly 40 minutes after leaving the ice, the Kings realized they’ll face Edmonton within the first spherical for the second consecutive season.
Shaking off a 2-5-0 skid that scuttled their probabilities on the division title, the Kings received their remaining two video games to complete with 104 factors, the second-most in franchise historical past behind the 1974-75 squad (105).
“It’s nice to have the feeling of positive morale, positive momentum going into (the playoffs),” Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson mentioned. “We’ve found some ways to score goals and had a couple of physical games as well, so that’s all been good for us.”
Troy Terry, Max Jones and Trevor Zegras scored for the Ducks, who wrapped up one of many worst NHL seasons of the twenty first century on a 13-game winless streak. Coach Dallas Eakins’ contract is completed after his fourth consecutive shedding season, however the rebuilding Ducks have made no announcement about his future.
“There’s a number of things that we’re very proud of,” Eakins mentioned. “I am proud that in a game like this where it’s our last game, we know it’s totally over, that they still had some rage in them. I thought they went out and battled hard and really kept the love of the rivalry between us and the Kings.”
Anaheim’s silver lining on its NHL-low 58 factors is the most effective probability in subsequent month’s draft lottery to win the precise to pick out Connor Bedard, the Regina Pats heart thought of probably the most tantalizing prospect in hockey since Connor McDavid.
Anaheim could have solely a 25.5% probability of securing its first-ever No. 1 choose within the NHL draft. But the Ducks can fall no decrease than third within the lottery, which suggests they may get a premium prospect in a top-heavy subject headlined by forwards Bedard, Adam Fantilli and Matvei Michkov.
Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves for the Kings, and John Gibson stopped 31 pictures for Anaheim.
“It’s never easy losing games like that,” Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler mentioned. “We’re all competitive people and want to do well, but I think I’m proud of the way we stuck together. We never cracked as a team and continued to support one another.”
Anaheim missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, extending the longest drought in historical past for a workforce that had by no means missed greater than three straight postseasons. The Ducks had a pathetic season by almost each measure, rating final within the NHL in purpose differential (minus-129) and objectives allowed whereas rating thirty first in objectives scored (209).
Statistically, the Ducks had been the worst defensive workforce of the previous quarter-century. Their 338 objectives allowed had been probably the most by any NHL workforce up to now 26 seasons for the reason that 1995-96 San Jose Sharks gave up 357, whereas their purpose differential was the NHL’s worst for the reason that 1999-2000 Atlanta Thrashers (minus-143).
The Ducks’ gamers have been justifiably uninterested of their workforce’s draft lottery standing as their season limped on, and Terry underlined that stance by scoring simply 2:44 into the season finale.
But Los Angeles evened it late within the first interval when Kopitar knocked down a excessive puck from Kempe and scored his twenty eighth purpose of the season. In the second, Kempe obtained a delayed purpose after video overview, and Moore scored moments afterward a 2-on-0 rush.
Zegras scored his twenty third purpose with 5:09 to play, trimming Los Angeles’ result in 4-3. After a prolonged brawl, Kempe completed off the victory.
Kevin Fiala missed his sixth consecutive recreation for the Kings with a lower-body damage. The playoff availability of Los Angeles’ high-scoring Swiss ahead is unclear, however Kopitar used the ultimate recreation to interrupt his tie with Fiala atop the workforce’s scoring leaderboard.
Defenseman Alexander Edler and ahead Gabe Vilardi additionally remained out of the Los Angeles lineup with important accidents.
Mason McTavish sat out for Anaheim with an upper-body damage, ending his rookie season with 43 factors in 80 video games.
UP NEXT
Kings: Vs. Edmonton in first-round of playoffs.
Ducks: The draft lottery on May 8, once they’ll hope to land a franchise-altering expertise.
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