L.A. Kings clinch playoff spot with no suspense this time

This was the opposite of 2012 when the Kings cut it oh-so-close, making the playoffs on April 5.

That season, they found out shortly before the second-to-last game of the regular season that they were in — Dallas had lost to Nashville earlier in the night.

Suspense took a sabbatical this time around.

The Kings’ 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, coupled with the Arizona Coyotes’ loss, meant that the Kings clinched a postseason spot for the sixth time in the last seven seasons and for the 29th time in franchise history.

They won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and again in 2014, making the playoffs on April 2 with five games left in the regular season.

This was also the earliest in terms of date and games remaining — March 19 and 11 games — that the Kings have secured a playoff spot since Dean Lombardi became the team’s general manager after the 2005-06 regular season.

Many of the Kings were unaware that they were in a position to clinch a playoff berth.

“I didn’t know about that,” defenseman Alec Martinez said. “Obviously it’s what you want to do but we’re not finished yet. We want to finish as high as we possibly can.

“It’s a matter of wanting Game 7 in your barn versus any other city. It’s good that we clinched. But we can’t just rest on our laurels.”

The Kings, who were sparked by goals by Tanner Pearson and Martinez and a brilliant effort from goalie Jonathan Quick, appeared to avoid a serious injury scare in the Bruins game. Winger Kris Versteeg took a shot off his foot in the third period and did not return.

The good news?

“No fracture,” said Coach Darryl Sutter on Sunday morning, via email, adding that Versteeg was day to day and “real sore though.”

Versteeg, who was acquired just before the trade deadline, came on board to help fill the scoring void created by the knee injury suffered by Marian Gaborik in February. The Kings are hoping that Gaborik will be ready for the playoffs.

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AT NASHVILLE

When: Monday, 5 p.m.

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Update: With three weeks remaining in the regular season, there are many potential playoff scenarios. One possible first-rounder? The Kings vs. Nashville. Of note, the teams have never played each other in the postseason. The Predators are currently holding the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

Twitter: @reallisa