Kings’ Interest Level Is Up

Maybe the Kings are serious about making a late playoff run.

Goaltender Stephane Fiset made 29 saves and center Dimitri Khristich scored two goals and added an assist as the Kings stretched their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 6-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night before 12,115 at the Forum.

Jan Vopat, Eddie Olczyk and Dan Bylsma also scored for the Kings, who moved within four points of the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference. The streak is the Kings’ longest since March 1993.

Khristich’s linemates, Vladimir Tsyplakov and Vitali Yachmenev, combined for a goal and four assists, and Jeff Shevalier and Philippe Boucher each added two assists for the Kings.

Fiset continued his dominance in the net, improving to 4-1-1 in his last six starts. In starting every game of the Kings’ current winning streak, Fiset has given up only five goals.

“Steph is playing great right now, and our forwards are really helping out on defense,” Vopat said. “Everything is perfect right now. We are even scoring a few goals. . . . When we get [ahead], it helps the confidence of everybody.”

Khristich, who had missed seven games because of an eye injury he suffered in practice Feb. 7, got the Kings off to an early lead with two goals in the first period.

After taking a pass from Yachmenev, Khristich scored his first goal with a nifty move in front of the left side of the goal to beat Edmonton goalie Bob Essensa at 12:25. About four minutes later, Khristich scored his 15th goal when he knocked in an assist from Tsyplakov.

On the play, Khristich had to retrieve his stick only seconds earlier after he was knocked to the ice on a check by Edmonton’s Mike Grier, who later would score the Oilers’ first goal with 5.5 seconds left in the first period.

Khristich’s line also contributed to the Kings’ third score when Yachmenev hustled to keep a play alive and assisted on Vopat’s fourth goal at 7:11 of the second period.

“I’ve felt like we had some kind of chemistry together,” Khristich said of his line. “I’m glad we felt that way. We played against [the opponent]’s first line all three games [since Khristich’s return.]”

Olczyk became the Kings’ first 20-goal scorer of the season when he knocked down a pass from Shevalier and scored from the slot at 15:08. The Kings took a commanding 5-1 lead on Bylsma’s rebound goal with 1:58 remaining in the second period.

In the third period, Edmonton’s Andrei Kovalenko scored at 2:31 to cut the Kings’ lead to 5-2. Tsyplakov added a power-play goal for the Kings at 11:49 and Kovalenko scored his 29th goal of the season to finish the scoring.