Carter's Hat Trick Powers Kings Past Coyotes, 4-2

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jeff Carter completed a hat trick by scoring with 4:25 left and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Thursday night.

Carter scored for the third consecutive game, helping the Kings open up a two-point lead over the Anaheim Ducks for third place in the Pacific Division before the Freeway Faceoff rivals meet Friday night in Anaheim.

Jack Campbell made 20 saves for his second career win, and the Kings won consecutive games for the first time since winning three in a row Feb. 17-20. Anze Kopitar added an empty-net goal with 1.7 seconds remaining, and Tyler Toffoli had two assists.

Kevin Connauton scored for the second straight game and Max Domi had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes, who had won two straight over the Kings. Darcy Kuemper made 31 saves.

Carter capped his sixth career hat trick on a wrist shot from the left dot to give the Kings the lead at 15:35 of the third period. It was Carter's 13th goal in 17 games since returning from surgery to repair a cut tendon in his ankle, and his 59th multi-goal game in his 900th career appearance.

Carter has five goals and two assists during a three-game point streak.

Arizona took a 2-1 lead at 5:14 of the second period when Domi followed up Christian Dvorak's wraparound with a backhand for his ninth goal.

Rookie defenseman Trevor Murphy picked up his first assist and second point in his fourth career game.

Los Angeles made it 2-all when Carter redirected Dion Phaneuf's shot from the blue line in for a power-play goal at 11:49.

Connauton put the Coyotes ahead 1-0 at 12:26 in the first period with his third goal in two games. Connauton has four points in his last three games.

Carter tied it up at 1 with 27.5 seconds remaining, tipping Derek Forbort's shot past Kuemper for his 350th career goal.

NOTES: Kopitar set a new career-high with his 35th goal. ... Campbell improved to 2-0-2 as Jonathan Quick's backup after the Kings traded Kuemper to the Coyotes on Feb. 21.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: Host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night.

Kings: Visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)