Adrian Kempe scored six seconds into overtime — tied for the fastest OT goal in NHL history — to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-4 win against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night in the regular-season finale.
Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals, including the game-tying goal during six-on-four play with 1:21 left, and he added an assist for the Kings (44-27-11, 99 points), who leapfrogged the Vegas Golden Knights (45-29-8, 98 points) for third place in the Pacific Division.
Kempe, Quinton Byfield and Trevor Moore each had a goal and an assist, Phillip Danault had three assists and Cam Talbot made nine saves for Los Angeles, which will face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round for a third straight season.
Tyler Johnson, Joey Anderson and Ryan Donato scored five minutes apart early in the third period to give Chicago a 4-3 lead. Donato finished with two points.
Lukas Reichel also scored and Arvid Soderblom made 30 saves for the Blackhawks (23-53-6, 52 points), who ended the season on a six-game losing streak and with the second-fewest points in the NHL.
The Blackhawks were called for delay of game with 1:42 left when Philipp Kurashev chipped the puck over the glass and Talbot was pulled for a two-man advantage. Arvidsson then scored from the slot to tie it 4-4.
Reichel scored on a partial breakaway to give Chicago a 1-0 lead at 15:39 of the first period.
After the Kings outshot the Blackhawks 14-4 in the first period, they outshot Chicago 11-3 in the second.
Danault chased down a dump-in behind the Chicago net, circled around and fed Arvidsson for a one-timer from the left circle that squeezed through Soderblom’s pads to tie it 1-1 at 4:37 of the second.
The Blackhawks appeared to score short-handed with 7:45 left in the second period when Jason Dickinson put in his own rebound. After a league-requested review, however, it was determined Dickinson scored with a distinct kicking motion.
Byfield ended a 19-game goal drought when he redirected a pass from Danault to move the Kings ahead 2-1 at 16:04 of the second. He became the fifth 20-goal scorer for the Kings this season.
Danault won another puck on the forecheck and passed it to Arvidsson, who made a touch pass to Moore for the one-timer that stretched the lead to 3-1 at 17:24 of the middle period.
Chicago, which played with 13 forwards and five defensemen, cut it to 3-2 at 1:28 of the third when Johnson scored with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle while on a power play.
Anderson scored with a backhand off a rush to tie it 3-3 at 3:42.
Donato then lifted his stick to redirect a point shot from MacKenzie Entwistle that moved Chicago ahead 4-3 at 6:28.
–Field Level Media
