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

By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — 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. 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. Anze Kopitar, Andreas Athanasiou and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles, which has won four of its last five. The Kings are five points ahead of Vegas for third place in the Pacific Division. Patrick Kane scored for Chicago, which has lost nine of its last 11. It was the 430th career goal for Kane, which moves him past Bill Guerin into sixth among U.S.-born skaters in NHL history.