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Adrian Kempe, Kings dismiss Ducks in regular-season finale, will face Edmonton in playoffs

April 14, 2023

The Kings’ Anze Kopitar, right, scores past Ducks goaltender John Gibson during the first period of their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins watches from behind the bench during the first period of their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Kings’ Drew Doughty, left, slides on the ice as the Ducks’ Ryan Strome races to try to take the puck during their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Ducks celebrate after Troy Terry (19) scored a goal during the first period of their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Kings’ Vladislav Gavrikov, left, and the Ducks’ Troy Terry battle for the puck during the second period of their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ducks goaltender John Gibson, left, blocks a shot by the Kings’ Alex Iafallo, right, during the first period of their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Ducks and the Kings brawl on the ice during the third period of their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Kings’ Sean Durzi, top, pins the Ducks’ Kevin Shattenkirk to the ice after both teams broke out in a brawl during the third period of their regular-season finale on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The referee orders Ducks forward Trevor Zegras to the penalty box after a fight broke out during their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Ducks forward Trevor Zegras argues with the referee on why he should go to the penalty box after a large brawl during the third period of their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Kings’ Adrian Kempe, top right, celebrates with Alex Iafallo (19) and Drew Doughty after Kempe scored during the third period of their regular-season finale against the Ducks on Thursday night at Honda Center. Kempe had three goals and one assist in the Kings’ 5-3 win. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) celebrates after scoring during the third period of their 5-3 victory over the Ducks on Thursday night at Honda Center. Kempe had three goals and an assist as the Kings clinched third place in the Pacific Division. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Wild Wing, the Ducks’ mascot, tries to rally the crowd during their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Wild Wing, the Ducks’ mascot, poses for a photo with a fan before their regular-season finale against the Kings on Thursday night at Honda Center. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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ANAHEIM — On the final night of the regular season for the Kings and Ducks – teams occupying wildly different ends of the spectrum – they found a form of common ground on Thursday night at Honda Center.

Their fates and fortunes were, in part, determined elsewhere.

In short:

By losing 5-3 to the Kings, the defeat ensured that the Ducks will finish last overall in the NHL, thereby securing the best odds (25.5%) in the draft lottery on May 8 and the chance to win the right to select Connor Bedard, who is widely considered the best prospect in hockey since Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid. But they received some late ‘help’ in the race to the bottom a little more than half an hour before their own game started when the Columbus Blue Jackets tied the Pittsburgh Penguins with 3:25 remaining in regulation and went on to win in overtime.

That win gave the Blue Jackets 59 points, one more than the last-place Ducks, who have missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons but can fall no lower than third in the lottery, which means they will get a premium prospect in a top-heavy field headlined by forwards Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and Matvei Michkov.

“Long year, a challenging year,” Ducks goalie John Gibson said. “It was the circumstances that we were in. I’m not going to sit here and tell you it was fun. It was a long year. It was growing pains. I wish I had an answer.

“That’s the most frustrating part. Sometimes we looked good. Sometimes we looked bad. The only thing we were consistent at was being inconsistent.”

As for the Kings, there was the question of a playoff opponent. Heading into the game, there were two possibilities – Edmonton or the Vegas Golden Knights and the Kings left the ice still awaiting the Vegas result that would decide their foe. The Golden Knights’ 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken assured the Kings and Oilers will meet in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year. Game 1 is Monday night in Edmonton.

A year ago, the Oilers trailed 3-2 in the best-of-seven series but went on to win, taking Game 7, 2-0, in Canada. The Kings were without defenseman Drew Doughty and forward Viktor Arvidsson.

This time around there are other injury concerns for the Kings. They are still without forwards Kevin Fiala and Gabe Vilardi and defenseman Alex Edler, who is getting closer to returning, did not play against the Ducks.

Adrian Kempe’s four-point night – three goals and one assist – paced the Kings. Kempe’s fourth career hat trick included his 39th, 40th goals and 41st goals of the season, another impressive campaign after his breakthrough season a year ago. His 41 goals – making him the first King with a 40-goal season since Luc Robitaille in 1993-1994 – are six more than last season – and his 67 points are 13 more than last season.

“The fact that he’s been able to elevate his play almost on a weekly basis – he just keeps getting better – is a real good sign for him as an individual and us as an organization for a long time,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Less streaky than he was in the past. Scores big goals. Scores them from all over the place. While he’s doing that, he’s physical and defending well.

“Hell of a year. Hell of a player.”

Two of Kempe’s goals came on the power play as the Kings went 3 for 8 with the man advantage and his hat trick came on an empty-netter with 1:38 remaining in regulation.

“I probably didn’t think about it before the season,” Kempe said of hitting the 40-goal plateau. “But obviously throughout the year, I just tried to stay with my game and not focus too much of where I’m at in terms of goals and stuff like that. Playing with some really good players.

“They were looking for me all night. I’m just very happy I’m out there with those guys. My linemates helped me all year to score, to get there.”

Kings goalie Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves, making his second start in as many games. The last time he started in back-to-back games was March 28 and March 30, both losses.

Arvidsson had three assists and Doughty had two assists. Captain Anze Kopitar (No. 28) and Trevor Moore (No. 10) scored the Kings’ other goals.

Shaking off a 2-5-0 skid that killed their chances at the division title, the Kings won their final two games to finish with 104 points, the second-most in franchise history behind the 1974-75 squad (105).

Kempe and Moore scored goals in quick succession in the second period to turn a 1-1 game into a 3-1 lead.

Troy Terry (No. 23) scored in the first period for the Ducks, and Max Jones (No. 9) and Trevor Zegras (No. 23) scored in what was a fight-filled third period. Gibson, who made 31 saves, made his first start since April 1.

The Ducks were running the gamut of emotions after finishing the season on a 13-game winless streak. Their power play was ranked 30th, the penalty kill was 31st and their goals allowed (338) was the most since the San Jose Sharks gave up 357 in the 1995-96 season. The Ducks ranked last in the NHL in goal differential (minus-129) – the league’s worst since the 1999-2000 Atlanta Thrashers (minus-143).

“I think it’s a lot,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “It’s sadness. It’s frustration. There’s a number of things that we’re very proud of. There’s a lot that, it just comes in waves. I am proud that in a game like this – where it’s our last game – and we know it is totally over, that they still had some rage in them.

“They went out and battled hard and really kept the love of the rivalry between us and the Kings.”

There were three Ducks players making their NHL debut in the waning days of the season, including defensemen Jackson LaCombe and Drew Helleson, who both drew in against the Kings. Rookie Mason McTavish missed the finale with an upper-body injury but played in 80 of 82 games and was in the Calder Trophy conversation for most of the season.

Terry knows what it is like to have endured tough times early in his career.

“I never wanted Mac (McTavish) to go through that but some of those guys get to see what it’s like,” Terry said of a losing season. “To have that feeling that we all have right now. And we never want to feel like this again.”

Orange County Register

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Adrian Kempe, Kings dismiss Ducks in regular-season finale, will face Edmonton in playoffs

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