Kings Aim to Secure Playoff Spot in Final Games

Los Angeles Kings look to clinch postseason berth with three games left in regular season

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:36am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the Los Angeles Kings and Seattle Kraken, with the players and puck broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes in vibrant colors.The Kings' late-season surge has put them on the verge of a playoff berth, but they must navigate a tricky final stretch to secure their postseason spot.Los Angeles Today

The Los Angeles Kings are in a tight race for the playoffs, sitting in the Western Conference's second wild-card spot with three games remaining. They'll face the eliminated Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames to close out the regular season, hoping to secure a postseason berth.

Why it matters

The Kings are in a precarious position, as they could still finish first in the Pacific Division or miss the playoffs entirely. With the season winding down, these final three games will be crucial in determining their playoff fate.

The details

The Kings (34-26-19, 87 points) are just one point ahead of the Nashville Predators for the second wild-card spot, but they're also only four points behind the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights with a game in hand. Los Angeles has been strong on the road this season, with fewer than 10 regulation losses away from home. In their most recent game, Artemi Panarin scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, and goaltender Anton Forsberg recorded his third shutout of the season.

  • The Kings have three games remaining in the regular season.
  • On Monday, the Kings will play the Kraken in Seattle.
  • On Tuesday, the Kings will play the Canucks in Vancouver.
  • On Thursday, the Kings will play the Flames in Calgary.

The players

Anze Kopitar

The Kings' captain, who plans to retire at the end of the season.

Artemi Panarin

A forward acquired by the Kings in early February, who has 9 goals and 17 assists in 23 games with a plus-10 rating.

Anton Forsberg

The Kings' goaltender, who is 4-0-0 with a 0.97 goals-against average and a .963 save percentage in his past four starts.

Cody Ceci

A Kings defenseman who made a key play to knock a shot off the goal line in the first period against the Oilers.

Nikke Kokko

The Kraken's goaltender, who made 26 saves in his first NHL start to defeat the Calgary Flames.

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What they’re saying

“Going on this road trip, I don't really remember when was the last time we had a (four)-game winning streak, so it definitely feels good. But more importantly, I think the belief in this locker room has gone up and spiked, which is obviously a very good thing.”

— Anze Kopitar, Kings captain

“I mean, he can make plays, and he makes two or three a night that no one else makes. A lot of the game was just that kind of back and forth, but they made one mistake, give the Bread Man a breakaway and he gets the winner, so we expect a lot from him to get where we want to go, but he found a way to do it here (Saturday).”

— D.J. Smith, Kings interim coach

“Now, obviously, it's only a few games left. It's our game, and we just got to play that, and then hopefully it'll turn out the right way.”

— Anton Forsberg, Kings goaltender

“Every single guy in this locker room is putting team first and the winning mentality first, and we're trying to win games. Whether that's 1-0 or 7-6, it doesn't really matter. It's about the two points for the next week, and then we'll go from there.”

— Anze Kopitar, Kings captain

“I feel great. I was little bit nervous before (the) game, but when I come to the rink and started doing my routine and warmups, then I enjoyed.”

— Nikke Kokko, Kraken goaltender

What’s next

The Kings' playoff fate will be determined in their final three games of the regular season. A strong finish could secure them a spot in the postseason, while a stumble could leave them on the outside looking in.

The takeaway

The Kings' late-season surge has put them in position to clinch a playoff berth, but they'll need to maintain their strong road play and capitalize on their opportunities against the eliminated teams they face in the final stretch. Their ability to secure crucial points in these final games will be the difference between a successful season and a disappointing end.