The host Los Angeles Kings increased their chances of securing home-ice advantage in the playoffs after blanking the undermanned Edmonton Oilers 3-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves to earn his fifth shutout of the season as the Kings (44-23-9, 97 points) moved four points ahead of the Oilers (44-27-5, 93 points) for second place in the Pacific Division.
Los Angeles is within one point of the first-place Vegas Golden Knights, who visit the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.
Kevin Fiala, Andrei Kuzmenko and Trevor Lewis scored for Los Angeles, while Calvin Pickard stopped 26 shots for the Oilers.
After Mattias Janmark was unable to bury at one end, Fiala notched his 30th goal of the season down at the other, finally breaking the deadlock with just over 10 minutes left in the middle frame.
Kuzmenko extended the Kings’ lead to 2-0 with 3:52 left in the second, when he picked up a pass near the high slot and fired his wrist shot past Pickard.
The Russian forward stretched his point streak to four games (three goals, four assists) with the second-period marker.
The division rivals both struggled to create much offense in the opening period, with the Oilers holding a 9-8 advantage in shots on goal, while the Kings failed to convert on the period’s lone power-play opportunity.
Drama then struck just over two minutes into the second period as Jeff Malott’s first career NHL goal was overturned after the Oilers’ successfully challenged it for offside.
Fiala received a little puck luck as Alex Laferriere’s shot bounced perfectly into the sniper’s lap, who secured the 1-0 lead for the Kings with 9:20 remaining in the second.
With the Kings on the power play, under a minute into the final period, Fiala eyed his second goal of the game, but his rocket shot smacked off the right post.
Fiala had another scoring chance with just over five minutes remaining, but couldn’t solve Pickard with his shot poised for the top shelf.
Lewis sealed the contest with less than three minutes left in regulation on an empty-net goal.
