Kings’ 5-2 Loss to Jets Virtually Assures They Will Not Be in Playoffs

The end is near for the Kings.

The Winnipeg Jets’ 5-2 victory Monday night in front of 9,170 fans at the Forum virtually eliminated the Kings from the National Hockey League playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.

Winnipeg right wing Ray Neufeld scored three goals, including an empty-netter with 17 seconds left. It was Neufeld’s first career hat trick and it helped the Jets clinch a playoff berth.

The Kings can still make the playoffs, but it’s unlikely. They would have to win their final two games and Vancouver would have to lose all four of its remaining games in order for the Kings to qualify.

“I’m afraid it’s almost time to call it a day,” said Jerry Buss, the Kings’ owner.

Winnipeg moved back into third place in the Smythe Division, one point ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and five ahead of the last-place Kings.

The Jets (26-46-6) have 58 points, while Vancouver (22-41-13) is in fourth with 57 and the Kings (23-48-7) are fifth with 53 points.

The Kings would need help from the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames to make the playoffs.

In order for the Kings to make the playoffs they would have to win their two remaining games--Wednesday night against Winnipeg and Saturday night against Vancouver--both at the Forum. The Kings have lost their last three games and six of their last seven. They have the worst home record in the NHL (9-26-3), and already have set a team record for most home losses in one season.

And Vancouver, which has won three straight, would have to lose all four of its remaining games. Vancouver opens a three-game trip tonight at Calgary. The Canucks play in Edmonton on Wednesday and then close out the trip here on Saturday night against the Kings. The Canucks will end their regular season with a game Sunday against Edmonton in Vancouver.

The Kings and Vancouver would each have 57 points if the Kings won their final two and the Canucks lost their last four, but the Kings would make the playoffs because they would have two more victories that the Canucks.

However, if Vancouver gets a tie or a win in any one of its four remaining games, the Kings will be eliminated.

“It’s not over till the fat lady sings and she hasn’t even arrived yet,” said King left wing Dave (Tiger) Williams, who scored his 20th goal of the season in the loss. Center Bernie Nicholls had the other King goal.

Center Marcel Dionne, the Kings’ all-time leading scorer and the second all-time leading scorer in the NHL, and right wing Dave Taylor, the Kings’ second-leading scorer of all time, each had just one shot on goal. Dionne and Taylor didn’t have a shot in the first or third periods.

The Kings had lots of chances to win the game, but it didn’t help that they they failed to score on five power plays against he Jets.

The Kings’ power play, the worst in the NHL, has been a source of disappointment for the team all season.

“Our special teams didn’t come through,” King Coach Pat Quinn said. “It’s the same as all year.

“We were a gambling club. And gamblers don’t win very often. That’s why we’re at where we are.

“Last year we were a worse team than our record showed. We caught a lot of teams by surprise We snowballed there in the middle.

“This year we expected a better record. But we beat ourselves.”

The Jets, who finished second in the Smythe Division last season and had the fourth-best mark n the NHL last season, had also been a major disappointment this season.

But they have salvaged their season by making the playoffs. They have a 6-6-0 record since General Manager John Ferguson fired Coach Barry Long on March 4 and took over behind the bench.

Winnipeg defenseman Randy Carlyle had two goals and one assist. Carlyle’s goals came at the end of the first and second periods, respectively.

Carlyle scored with eight seconds left in the first period to give the Jets a 2-0 lead. And, after the Kings had cut the score to 3-2, Carlyle scored his second goal with 50 seconds left in the second period on a rebound of a shot by center Dale Hawerchuk to give the Jets a two-goal lead going into the final period.

“It was the biggest game of the year for our hockey club,” Carlyle said. “When you have the kind of year we’ve had, making the playoffs is definitely a plus for our ego.

“We’ve had our share of problems. Nothing has come easy for us.