Kings defeat Blackhawks 4-1, move closer to a playoff spot

Phillip Danault scored for the fifth straight game and the Los Angeles Kings moved closer to wrapping up a playoff spot with a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Danault opened the scoring in the first period with his 26th goal of the season. He is the first Kings player since Marián Gáborík in 2014 to have a goal in five straight games.

The center also has a career-best, seven-game point streak with five goals and eight points.

Anze Kopitar, Andreas Athanasiou and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles, which has won four of its last five and had a 36-16 advantage in shots. The Kings are five points ahead of Vegas for third place in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles has three games remaining, while Vegas has four.

Jonathan Quick made 15 saves, and Adrian Kempe and Alexander Edler each had two assists.

Patrick Kane scored for Chicago, which has lost nine of its last 11. It was the 430th career goal for Kane, moving him past Bill Guerin into sixth among U.S.-born skaters in NHL history.

Collin Delia made 31 saves before exiting in the third period due to a lower-body injury.

Danault put the Kings ahead with a power-play goal at 11:58 of the first period when he put in a backhander off a deflected shot.

Kopitar scored his 19th goal of the season 9:16 into the second when he redirected Alexander Edler's shot into the net.

Kane got the Blackhawks within 2-1 with a power-play score. Kane took Dylan Strome's pass and beat Quick on his glove side for his 26th on the season.

Los Angeles put it out of reach in the third on breakaway goals by Athanasiou and Moore 15 seconds apart. Athanasiou scored his 10th at 11:45 and Moore put in his 16th at 12:00.