Kings About to Disappear From Playoff Race

The Kings can think in terms of numbers now, and none of them are magic.

They picked up goal from Vitali Yachmenev with 3:22 to play in the second period Monday night and got 31 saves from Byron Dafoe to keep their playoff hopes alive with a 2-2 tie against the Canucks.

Alive, but on life support.

The Kings are 2-5-2 in their last nine games and trail Calgary and Chicago by eight points each in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

They also have only eight games to play.

Yachmenev also set up Dimitri Kristich’s goal early in the second period for the Kings.

Vancouver’s Lonny Bohonos opened the scoring at 3:19 of the first period, Khristich tied it 32 seconds later, and Markus Naslund put the Canucks back in front at 8:25.

Vancouver goalie Corey Hirsch faced only 17 shots, four after the second period.

The Canucks were 0 for 7 on the power play, and the Kings failed to score on five manpower advantages.

Vancouver is also sputtering, winning only two of their last 12 games (2-7-3).

All of the scoring occurred in a 13:19 span of the second period.