Kuemper makes 19 saves, Kings shut out Canucks to gain in West wild-card race

VANCOUVER -- Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves, and the Los Angeles Kings ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Thursday.

It was Kuemper's third shutout of the season and his 39th in the NHL, but the 35-year-old goalie was more excited about having a cushion for the final period of this one after going to overtime in his previous three starts and four of his past six games. 

“We like to play close overtime games, so it was nice that we were able to build a bit of a cushion,” Kuemper said. “When you can get multigoal leads, then it's a little bit easier to just go out there and play and try to take the life away from the other team.”

Trevor Moore and Quinton Byfield each had a goal and assist for the Kings (29-25-18), who have points in four of their past five (1-1-3). Mikey Anderson had two assists.

Los Angeles is one point behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

“We were responsible start from finish and huge win for us,” Kuemper said. “[Shutouts] are always fun, but it takes a whole team to get one, so it's just a credit to how well we played and how focused we were tonight.” 

Kevin Lankinen made 34 saves for the last-place Canucks (21-42-8), who have lost four straight to end an eight-game homestand (2-6-0) and 14 of their past 17 (3-11-3).

Vancouver was already eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.

“It’s hard on everybody right now and it's not easy, but we have to learn from this,” Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek said. “No one else is going to help us. We have to keep grinding. … We have to be better everywhere. We have to win more edge battles, like on the face-offs, we have to win more battles in the D-zone, we have to execute the plays. Everything.” 

Kuemper made his best save off Teddy Blueger on a rebound in the slot midway through the first period top keep it scoreless. 

“Huge save by him,” Kings interim coach D.J. Smith said. “And that's what changes momentum in this League. If you give that up, then you're trailing and you're a little more stressed.”

Smith talked Wednesday about winning more battles in front of the opposition net to create offense and his team responded by scoring the first two goals on deflections.

Scott Laughton gave the Kings a 1-0 lead while on the power play at 17:34 of the first period. Byfield's wrist shot from the top of the right face-off circle caught a piece of Laughton as he set up a screen in front of Lankinen for his first goal in nine games.

“He wants us all over the goalie, so more we can do that, the better, and we're trending in the right direction,” Byfield said. “Not letting the goalie see, there's a few goals that were just screens and tips, so that's what you gotta keep doing and hopefully it keeps working.”

It did for Moore, who made it 2-0 at 1:21 of the second period. Anderson's wrist shot from the left point was tipped by Byfield in the left circle and then deflected off the stick of Moore at the top of the crease and popped over Lankinen into the net.

“It all starts with guys being on top of the goalie,” Anderson said. 

Artemi Panarin pushed the lead to 3-0 at 19:21 with a backhander from the left circle after Adrian Kempe forced Vancouver forward Jake DeBrusk to turn the puck over in the neutral zone. Panarin, who had already been robbed twice by Lankinen’s glove, picked up the loose puck, skated into the left circle and beat Lankinen to the blocker side.

“That was big by 'Bread,'” Byfield said. “2-0 they say it's the worst lead in hockey, so 'Bread' getting that goal there is big going into the change room and just being able to calm ourselves back down going in that third and kind of seal the game there.”

The Kings outshot the Canucks 32-12 over the first two periods.

“They came out in the second period, they were big, heavy on pucks, and mean and hungry,” Vancouver coach Adam Foote said. “Took us a while to adjust to that.”

Keumper made another great save off a Drew O'Connor redirection from atop the crease with 4:35 left and Lankinen pulled for an extra attacker.

Byfield scored an empty-net goal at 17:36 to secure the 4-0 final.

It was the sixth time the Canucks were shut out this season and fifth at home, which tied a franchise record (also in 1997-98 and 2014-15).

“We just got to find a way to get more offensive zone time and put pucks to the net,” Vancouver forward Brock Boeser said. “I feel like we're passing up a lot of shots, and even tonight I thought there were some chances where we could have put the puck to the net and we tried to make a cute play, and it doesn't work.”

NOTES: Kuemper posted his 11th shutout with the Kings and passed Kelly Hrudey and Stephane Fiset (both with 10) for the fifth-most in franchise history. ... Byfield has six points (four goals, two assists) during a three-game streak. ... Panarin has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 16 games with Los Angeles. ... The Kings are 8-1-2 in their past 11 games against the Canucks.