Coyotes eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Kings

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Anze Kopitar became the 91st player in NHL history to score 1,000 points with an assist for the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on Wednesday.

"It's very exciting," Kopitar said. "My heart's still racing."
Arizona was eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention with its 12th loss in 15 games.
"This group never lost hope, this group battles but it just wasn't enough," Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun said. "We all have really learned from this last stretch of games here because we just didn't get the job done."
Gabriel Vilardi scored twice for his first multigoal game in the NHL, Sean Walker had a goal and two assists, and Cal Petersen made 28 saves for the Kings (21-24-6).
Chychrun and Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored, and Adin Hill made 18 saves for the Coyotes (22-26-6).
The Kings are in sixth place, eight points behind the fourth-place St. Louis Blues for the final playoff berth in the eight-team Honda West Division. The Blues lost to the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in a shootout Wednesday. The Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild have already qualified from the division.

Vilardi's second goal gave the Kings a 3-2 lead 4:42 into the third period. Lias Andersson carried the puck beyond the goal line and made a backhand pass to Vilardi in the low slot.
Kopitar won a face-off to set up Walker, who scored into an empty net at 19:23 for the 4-2 final.
"It's incredible for him. We're all along for the ride," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. "He makes everybody better, including the coaching staff, and his passion and energy for the game are contagious. … I can't wait to see him get the next 500."
The 33-year-old center is the fourth Kings player with 1,000 points, joining Marcel Dionne (1,307), Luc Robitaille (1,154) and Dave Taylor (1,069). He has 346 goals and 654 assists in 1,124 games in 15 seasons with the Kings.
"It's hard to put into words," Kopitar said. "I'm kind of speechless right now. I'm obviously very excited, very happy and, you know, I was trying to do it a little bit earlier in the game, but I guess it worked out the way it worked out."
Kopitar is one of three players with 1,000 points and two Selke Trophy wins (Sergei Fedorov, Rod Brind'Amour) and the 31st to accomplish it with one team.
"I've said all along that makes it more special," Kopitar said. "It's great to be part of this club, and hopefully there's a few more to come."
Arizona coach Rick Tocchet had mentioned how dangerous Kopitar is on face-offs.
"He's one of my favorite players," Tocchet said. "He plays the game the right way. If he cheated a little bit more [defensively] he could probably get 15 to 20 points more a year. I know he could. But he plays a 200-foot game and takes every important draw. He's classy and I love the way he plays the game."
Los Angeles swept the two-game set to finish 5-3-0 against Arizona this season. The Coyotes were 3-4-1.
Ekman-Larsson's wrist shot from the point while Petersen was screened gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 1:19 of the first.

Vilardi tied it 1-1 with a one-timer from the right face-off circle that deflected off Hill's glove at 4:29.
Jaret Anderson-Dolan's wrist shot from the high slot to Hill's blocker side gave the Kings a 2-1 lead at 13:03. Quinton Byfield's assist was his first point in the NHL in his fifth game.
Chychrun's power-play goal tied it 2-2 at 17:43 and was his 18th, the most among NHL defensemen, and his ninth goal in his past 17 games.
Arizona failed to reach the playoffs after qualifying last season for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
"For the most part, I think guys gave effort, but it's tough when you don't have the kind of ability to make that next play," Tocchet said. "They had some chances and they scored goals. We didn't. It's just the story of the last six weeks, pretty well the whole year."
NOTES: Kopitar has scored 84 points (21 goals, 63 assists) in 82 games against the Coyotes. … Arizona forward Lawson Crouse didn't play the third period because of an undisclosed injury. … Chychrun scored eight points (three goals, five assists) in eight games against the Kings this season. … Arizona forward Christian Dvorak played his 300th NHL game. … Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz missed his second straight game after being struck in the head with the puck in warmups prior to a 3-2 loss to the Kings on Monday.