The LA Kings took a huge lead and beat Calgary 4-1 to clinch their 3rd straight playoff berth.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Viktor Arvidsson scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth with a 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

Kevin Fiala and Akil Thomas also scored for the Kings in their third consecutive spring postseason win. Los Angeles has lost to Edmonton in the first round in both of its previous trips, and in what could be a third straight matchup, the Kings currently sit in third place in the Pacific Division behind the second-place Oilers.

“(Making the playoffs) was our goal starting training camp, so it's one step at a time and I think we did a good job in the regular season to get to this point,” Arvidsson said. honestly, it matters in the playoffs. I came with Nashville. We were the last team, the last game of the season and we were in the (Stanley Cup) final. I don't think it matters. It depends on the group and how we handle the games moving forward.”

Cam Talbot made 23 saves and captain Anze Kopitar had two assists as the Kings opened a four-game homestand to end the regular season under interim coach Jim Hiller. Los Angeles missed a chance to win in Anaheim on Tuesday, but rebounded quickly to beat Calgary for its fourth win in five games.

“I think everybody should be proud of that,” Hiller said of the Kings' playoff run. “It's a very difficult thing. Most of all, it's exciting because now you can take the next step. You've earned the right to take the next step.”

Kopitar echoed Arvidsson's thoughts about making the playoffs, saying it's not as important as getting into the playoffs with a rhythm. In 2012, Kopitar and the Kings went 16-4 in the postseason and became the first #8 seed to win the Stanley Cup.

“Obviously, it wasn't an easy game (against Calgary) and we weren't satisfied with the way we played in Anaheim,” Kopitar said. “So tonight was redemption. I thought for the most part we did a pretty good job and actually got the job done.”

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Jonathan Huberdeau scored in the third period for the Flames, who have lost nine of 11 as they end their postseason absence from the playoffs.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots for the Flames in a March 30 win over Los Angeles in Calgary.

“I don't think we were ready for them tonight,” defenseman Daniil Miromanov said. “They came out hard and they were all over us. We weren't efficient in the transition game and on the breaks. They were on our sticks and bodies, and I feel like we turned the puck over a lot in the gray areas.”

The Kings scored 26 seconds into the next power play when Fiala made a wrist shot through traffic for his 28th goal after Miromanov moved the puck with his hand after losing his stick and was called for an untimely penalty. The Swiss forward's 11th power-play goal was also his 30th power-play point of the season, making him the first Los Angeles player to reach the mark since 2010.

Arvidsson doubled the lead early in the second period, curling a sharp angled shot past Markstrom for his third goal of his injury-shortened season. The veteran forward played in just 15 games, recovering from spinal surgery until mid-February and then missing another month with a lower-body injury.

Seven minutes later, Thomas scored, deftly deflecting a Matt Roy shot past Markstrom for his third goal in the last four games and the first of his career.

Thomas spent most of this season in the AHL, but the Kings' 2018 second-round pick has made an immediate impact since his NHL debut 10 days ago, possibly even playing a role in the postseason. Thomas is the first Kings skater to score three goals in his first five NHL games since Brian Boyle in 2008.

Arvidsson added an empty-net goal with 3:14 to play for his first multi-goal game since March 26, 2023.

“I don't think we were competitive in the first two periods,” Calgary coach Ryan Huska said. “In the third period, I thought we started skating. We had more regional time than the first two periods. But I think a lot of it came down to the competitive side, not being clean or crisp with the puck.”

NEXT UP

Flames: Friday at Anaheim.

Kings: Host Anaheim on Saturday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL