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Kings clinch playoff spot with win over Canucks

April 3, 2023

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Alex Iafallo scored twice, Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves and the Kings wrapped up an NHL playoff spot with a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

Arthur Kaliyev and Blake Lizzote — into an empty net — each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Anze Kopitar added a pair of assists.

Los Angeles improved to 45-22-10, winning for the second straight night after topping Seattle on Saturday.

Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks and Thatcher Demko stopped 21 shots. The Canucks were eliminated from postseason contention earlier in the night when Winnipeg beat New Jersey. Vancouver has missed the playoffs three straight years and seven of eight.

Iafallo put away his second goal of the night — and 14th of the season — on a power play 3:25 into the second after Jack Studnicka was called for tripping.

Viktor Arvidsson fired a shot off the post and the rebound fell into traffic in front of the Vancouver net, where Iafallo muscled it in to give the Kings a 2-1 lead.

With Vancouver’s Anthony Beauvillier and L.A.’s Quinton Byfield in the box, Iafallo ripped a one-timer past Demko from the bottom of the faceoff circle for his first goal of the night.