NHL roundup: Kings KO Blackhawks six seconds into OT, Jets continue run

In the regular-season finale, Adrian Kempe (27) secured a remarkable victory for the Los Angeles Kings by scoring just six seconds into overtime, which is now tied for the fastest OT goal in NHL history. This goal propelled the Kings to a thrilling 5-4 win against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Viktor Arvidsson played a pivotal role for the Kings, contributing two goals, including the game-tying tally during six-on-four play with 1:21 remaining. Arvidsson also added an assist to his impressive performance. Alongside him, Kempe, Quinton Byfield, and Trevor Moore each made significant contributions with a goal and an assist.

Additionally, Phillip Danault showcased his playmaking abilities by providing three assists. Cam Talbot, the Kings' goaltender, made nine crucial saves to secure the victory.

With this triumph, the Los Angeles Kings surpassed the Vegas Golden Knights, claiming third place in the Pacific Division. As a result, they have set themselves up for a first-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers for the third consecutive season.

On the other side, the Chicago Blackhawks fought valiantly, taking a 4-3 lead early in the third period with goals from Tyler Johnson, Joey Anderson, and Ryan Donato, who finished the game with two points. However, their efforts fell short as the Kings rallied back to secure the win.

Lukas Reichel also found the back of the net for the Blackhawks, while goaltender Arvid Soderblom made an impressive 30 saves. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks concluded their season on a disappointing note, enduring a six-game losing streak and finishing with the second-fewest points in the NHL.

In a game where the Anaheim Ducks faced off against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Ducks emerged victorious with a 4-1 win. Frank Vatrano was the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick for the Ducks, while Lukas Dostal's impressive performance in goal, stopping 32 of 33 shots, helped secure the win.

The defeat for the Golden Knights, combined with the Los Angeles Kings' 5-4 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, resulted in Vegas dropping to the second Western Conference wild card spot. As a result, Vegas will face the top-seeded Dallas Stars in the upcoming playoffs.

Jackson LaCombe contributed a goal and an assist, Ryan Strome added two assists, and Lukas Dostal made 32 saves for the Ducks. For the Golden Knights, Jack Eichel scored the lone goal, and Adin Hill made 19 saves. The loss snapped Vegas' six-game home winning streak.

In another game, the Colorado Avalanche dominated the Edmonton Oilers with a 5-1 victory in Denver. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice in Colorado's four-goal first period, while Nathan MacKinnon recorded two assists, reaching 140 points for the season. MacKinnon also set a franchise record for points in a season, surpassing Peter Stastny's record set in 1981-82 with the Quebec Nordiques. Mikko Rantanen, Josh Manson, and Zach Parise also scored for Colorado, and Justus Annunen made 25 saves.

For the Oilers, Dylan Holloway scored the lone goal, and Calvin Pickard made 13 saves in relief of Stuart Skinner, who stopped nine shots in the first period.

In a third game, the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, with Nikita Chibrikov scoring the game-winner in his NHL debut. Cole Perfetti scored twice for the Jets, and Gabriel Vilardi also scored. Laurent Brossoit made 18 saves for Winnipeg. Conor Garland and Elias Lindholm scored for the Canucks, with Thatcher Demko making 22 saves.

The win marked the Jets' eighth consecutive victory, and they will host the opener of their first-round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche. Meanwhile, the Canucks, who had gone 3-0-1 in their previous four games, will host the Nashville Predators to open the postseason.

Calgary celebrated a significant victory on home ice as they wrapped up the season with a commanding win over San Jose.

Adam Klapka made his mark by scoring his inaugural NHL goal, while Blake Coleman achieved a career milestone by reaching 30 goals in a two-point performance. Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar also had a memorable night, scoring 20 goals for the first time in his career. Kevin Rooney and Oliver Kylington also contributed goals for the Flames, although they fell short of making the Stanley Cup playoffs for the second consecutive season.

The Sharks managed to salvage a power-play goal with just 8.9 seconds remaining, courtesy of Fabian Zetterlund.