Kings handle the Canucks again, move into 3rd place

KINGS

Anze Kopitar celebrates a second-period goal by Kevin Fiala in the Kings’s victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night at at Crypto.com Arena. HARRY HOW/GETTY IMAGES

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By Andrew Knoll

Correspondent

LOS ANGELES >> The Kings won their season series against the Pacific Division’s top team and leapfrogged two other clubs in the playoff race on Saturday as they toppled the Vancouver Canucks 6-3 at Crypto.com Arena.

The Kings moved to 3-0-1 against Vancouver, and in the process vaulted over the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights to occupy third place in the Pacific, which would set up a third consecutive first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers.

Adrian Kempe paced the Kings with two goals and an assist. Kevin Fiala and Drew Doughty each produced a goal and an assist. Alex Laferriere and Trevor Moore both notched a goal while captain Anze Kopitar contributed two assists. Cam Talbot made 39 saves in an understated but effective outing.

Brock Boeser, Dakota Joshua and Teddy Blueger tallied for Vancouver. Casey DeSmith came up with just 23 saves.

Though the Kings had not quite been analytical darlings through 40 minutes, they carried a lead into the third period, a situation that has now seen them earn points 35 of 35 times, including 32 wins.

They slathered on a final goal shorthanded with 2:40 remaining when Kempe darted the other way on a counterattack, finishing his breakaway with a low shot for his second goal of the night and 27th of his third straight 25-plus-goal season.

They previously regained a three-goal edge with some signature work on the forecheck by Moore, Viktor Arvidsson and Phillip Danault, who returned to action after missing four games with an upper-body injury. Moore initiated the sequence before Arvidsson won the puck and sent it back to Moore, keying a give-and-go play in tight that saw Moore score his 30th goal of the year inside the near post with 9:25 to play.

Vancouver scored on a pair of sticktoitive forays on each side of that Kings goal, at 7:23 and 12:35. First, J.T. Miller gained the zone amid three Kings defenders, weaving his way into a backhand shot that created a rebound to be mopped up by Joshua. Blueger later added a shorthanded goal to draw the Canucks within two goals.