Flyers top Kings in shootout, extend point streak to 5

LOS ANGELES -- Noah Cates had a goal and an assist in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 4-3 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.

Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov scored in the shootout, and Samuel Ersson stopped attempts by Adrian Kempe and Artemi Panarin.

“Could have folded, could have (gone) oh, it’s a back to back, but stayed with it,” Cates said. “We knew they were two huge points, and we got it done, so it’s awesome. Huge testament to this group, and we’re having a ton of fun.”

Panarin’s power-play goal tied it 3-3 at 10:28 of the third period for Los Angeles on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle through Trevor Moore’s screen.

“You know, the best players in the League are the best players in the League for a reason, and they find ways to make plays under pressure when no one else can, and especially in the third period,” Kings interim coach D.J. Smith said of Panarin, who has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 12 games since being acquired in a trade from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4. “And having a guy like ‘Bread’ gives us that option.”

Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim scored, and Michkov had two assists for the Flyers (33-23-12), who were coming off a 3-2 overtime win at the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday and extended their point streak to five games (4-0-1). Ersson made 22 saves.

“Huge win for us, really proud of the guys,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. “Dug in, asked some guys to play some positions they’re not used to and kill some penalties, so it was a good effort.”

Philadelphia is six points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

“It’s not like we’re doing anything that much different than we’ve been doing the whole year,” Konecny said. “Sometimes it’s just a bounce here and there, and we’re just playing hard and sticking to it. And there’s nothing else we can do than win games right now.”

Panarin also had an assist and extended his point streak to four games, and Anze Kopitar and Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings (28-24-16), who are 4-3-2 since Jim Hiller was fired on March 6. Darcy Kuemper made 17 saves.

Los Angeles is one point ahead of the Seattle Kraken and Nashville Predators, and two ahead of the San Jose Sharks, for the second wild card from the Western Conference.

“I mean, you got to just keep clawing at points,” Smith said. “You lose in a shootout, you know, what are you going? At the end of the day, I think, the game for us, the point that was lost was in the second period. First and third, you know, the way we want to play. I thought the chances that we gave up tonight aren’t the way that we’ve been playing.”

Byfield put the Kings ahead 1-0 at 19:31 of the first period on a wrist shot from the right circle. He has three points (one goal, two assists) in his past two games following a five-game drought.

Konecny tied it 1-1 26 seconds into the second period with a wrist shot from the high slot, but Los Angeles took a 2-1 lead 21 seconds later when Kopitar tapped in Brandt Clarke’s shot, which went wide and caromed off the boards to the left post for the open goal.

Cates tied it 2-2 at 4:12 when Kuemper couldn’t cover up Michkov’s shot from the left circle through traffic, allowing Cates to knock it over the goal line.

Philadelphia played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen because forwards Sean Couturier (upper body), Luke Glendening (lower body) and Denver Barkey (upper body) were not available.

“Just a tough start, obviously, kind of getting into it with the different lines and whatnot,” Cates said. “Yeah, I think we kind of responded in the second with that early goal, then got to our game down low and playing and dictating. … We kind of just had a gutsy effort, which sometimes you need in this league, sometimes you need on a back to back.”

NOTES: Panarin has two goals and five assists during his point streak. … Sanheim scored his 61st career goal, passing Shayne Gostisbehere for fifth most by a defenseman in Flyers history. … Kopitar needs one point to tie Marcel Dionne (700) for most on home ice in Kings history. … Philadelphia leads the NHL with nine shootout wins this season.