Devils shut out Kings, extend wild-card lead

LOS ANGELES -- The New Jersey Devils kept pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 3-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on Saturday.

Keith Kinkaid made 38 saves for the Devils (37-26-8), who remained one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division and one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. New Jersey extend its lead to five points over the Florida Panthers for the second wild card.
WATCH: [All Devils vs. Kings highlights]
Kinkaid is 3-0-0 against Los Angeles, and two of his four NHL shutouts have come against the Kings.
"He's a big reason why we've been able to be competitive and continue to be competitive down the stretch," Devils coach John Hynes said. "We need him to continue to be very good. It's nice to see Keith rise up. He's playing extremely well right now, so let's keep going with it."
Michael Grabner, Nico Hischier and Miles Wood scored for New Jersey, which has won the first three of a six-game road trip and four of its past five.

Jonathan Quick made 25 saves for the Kings (39-27-6), who lead the Anaheim Ducks for third place in the Pacific Division by playing one fewer game.
New Jersey scored on two of its four shots in the first period, and took a 1-0 lead on Grabner's shorthanded goal at 8:29. With Kyle Palmieri in the box for high-sticking, Kings defenseman Drew Doughty never saw that Grabner was in in position to pick off his pass intended for Jake Muzzin. Grabner chipped the puck ahead, darted past two Kings for the breakaway and scored his 27th goal.
It was the first shorthanded goal for Grabner, who is the eighth New Jersey player to score one. With their 10th shorthanded goal, the Devils are tied with the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators for most in the NHL.
It was the first shorthanded goal Los Angeles allowed at home, leaving the Carolina Hurricanes as the only team to not give up a shorthanded goal at home this season.
"We were obviously a little bit opportunistic there. At this time of the year it doesn't matter. We'll take 'em how we can get 'em," Devils captain Andy Greene said. "It's just a huge, huge two points again on the road."
Hischier made it 2-0 at 13:27 of the first on a wrist shot from the high slot. Damon Severson had an assist for a third straight game, and Brian Gibbons got his third assist in two games.
Hischier scored for the second straight game and has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past four games.
The Kings had four power-play opportunities in the first period, including 58 seconds of 5-on-3. Kinkaid saved nine shots on the penalty kill and made 19 saves in the period.
"I just thought we didn't do enough to make his job more difficult," Kings coach John Stevens said. "We were at the net but not taking his eyes away enough. We stopped shooting the puck as the game wore on, maybe because pucks weren't going in or getting blocked before that, but I thought we had opportunities to shoot the puck."
Wood gave the Devils a 3-0 lead at 6:06 of the third period, scoring from the left circle on a 2-on-1.

Goal of the game

Grabner's goal at 8:29 of the first period.

Save of the game

Kinkaid's save on Tanner Pearson at 13:51 of the first period.

Highlight of the game

Hischier's goal at 13:27 of the first period.

They said it

"I guess I like playing them I guess? I don't know." -- Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid on his success against the Kings
"That turned out to be the biggest play of the game. When you get those power-play opportunities there, you want to cash in on them and we failed to do so." -- Kings center Anze Kopitar on Michael Grabner's shorthanded goal

Need to know

It was Kinkaid's first shutout of the season. … Los Angeles was 0-for-6 on the power play. … Devils forward Pat Maroon (lower body) did not play. … Devils forward Brian Boyle extended his point streak to three games (one goal, two assists). … Devils forward Taylor Hall did not have a point for the third time in his past four games after a 26-game streak.

What's next

Devils: At the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday (9 p.m. ET; FS-W, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Kings: At the Minnesota Wild on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV)