Game 68: Kings 4, Blue Jackets 2

To peep out all the videos online about this game, check out today's Hockeywood Dailies.

With 17 games left in the regular season, the Kings seem to be hitting their stride at the right time. In what could possibly be the tightest playoff race ever, with seven points separating 7 teams between the No. 5-10th spots in the West, Los Angeles is coming together at the right time.

On Rick Nash bobblehead night, the Kings' best player played the best game of the season, turning back the Columbus Blue Jackets and their hope to try and catch up with the pack in the West. Anze Kopitar scored his second career hat trick to help lead his battle-tested club, once again showing the promise of greater things.

Kopitar got things started in the first, when he scored a power play goal. Kopitar has been in a shooting mode and his game is picked up in March with seven points (4G, 3A) in five games. Not only that, but he continues to shut down the other team's top centers. Antoine Vermette and Derek MacKenzie could only muster a shot a piece all game, while Kopitar scored three times on four shots.

Not only is his effect on the other team, he makes his linemates better. Justin Williams assisted on two of Kopitar's goals, and scored his 22nd of the season in the third. He's enjoying a four-game point streak, and is second on the goal-scoring list for L.A. Dustin Penner has four points (1G, 3 A) in five games with the Kings, and he's looking more and more comfortable with his new teammates out there.

In net was Jonathan Bernier, who spelled Jonathan Quick and got his first start against the Blue Jackets. Bernier had never faced Columbus, and he played reasonably well. Despite giving up a soft goal to Scottie Upshall in the first, Bernier calmed down and eventually made 32 out of 34 saves. In his last nine starts, he has gone 5-1-3. He seems to be winning every other matchup this season, and he's showing signs that he could possibly be needing more time in net to get going.

That's always the hard thing for a goalie to do. We heard Bob Miller say it time and again last season when Quick started 72 of 82 games for the Kings, plus all six of the playoffs games. A goaltender wants to play, despite the effect of the mileage put on his body.

Now that the Kings have a bonafide backup for Quick, coach Terry Murray has been able to spell Quick this seaosn, and he's been able to flourish. With 14 games left, Quick not only has a good shot to match his franchise record 39 wins from last season, but he could do it with a lower goals against average.

The Kings' penalty killing continues to roll, going 11-for-11 down a man. Willie Mitchell and Matt Greene may not provide a lot of offense, but thank God they are patrolling the blueline, especially on the PK unit. It's not the flashiest gig, but those two hard-nosed guys get the job done exceptionally well.

The Kings have now gone 9-1-3 in their last 13 road games. Overall, they have only lost three times in regulation since Jan. 20. Does this look like a team that is folding? On the contrary, this looks like a team that is ready to take that next step. Winning close games and grinding out their opponents' will has transformed this once pathetic franchise into a dangerous force.

• AP: Kopitar’s 3 goals carry Kings, 4-2

Kopitar picked up the hat trick by the midpoint of the second period. He was in the penalty box for hooking, but got out just in time to receive Dustin Brown’s seeing-eye stretch pass at the blue line. Kopitar then deked goalie Steve Mason before scoring easily on the forehand.

• LAKings.com: Kings beat Blue Jackets, 4-2

Kopitar now leads the Kings with 24 goals this season, and his scoring pace has been torrid of late, as he has seven goals and seven assists in his last nine games.

• NHL.com: Kings top Blue Jackets 4-2 

The Kings got a scare when Doughty was checked by Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger into one of the upright glass supports near the Columbus bench early in the third period. Doughty went face-first into the padded stanchion, hitting it while standing up straight, and then buckled to the ice. He was on all fours for several minutes before being helped to the dressing room.

• Yahoo: Friday’s Three Stars: Kopitar’s trick; OT drama for Wings, Devils

Kopitar scored the first three goals for the Kings -- two in the first, one in the second -- as Los Angeles defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-2. Kopitar has eight goals and five assists in a nine-game points streak vs. Columbus. Jonathan Bernier made 32 saves; Scottie Upshall and Derick Brassard scored for the Jackets.

• ESPNLosAngeles.com: Anze Kopitar's hat trick leads win at Columbus

Kings defenseman Drew Doughty had two assists to give him points in seven straight games against the Blue Jackets. Doughty has scored a total of 12 points in those seven games.

• Columbus Dispatch: Jackets pay the price for penalties

Pressing for a tying goal, the Jackets forgot about the Kings' Anze Kopitar, who stepped out of the penalty box and beat goaltender Steve Mason on a breakaway to make it 3-1. It was Kopitar's third goal of the night and it helped send the Jackets to their seventh consecutive loss, the longest skid since losing nine straight from Dec. 10 to 26, 2009.

They said it

“Lately, I haven’t been real successful in the shootouts, so that crossed my mind a little bit. I went in pretty confident. I just tried to stick to my move. I knew what I was going to do. I’ve beaten him on that move, so I guess it was a good move, but just getting in there and getting that breakaway out of the box, it felt pretty nice.” - Anze Kopitar, on what he was thinking when he had the breakaway.

“That’s one of those goals I’ve got to have, obviously, but we kept to our game plan and kept playing the same way, and we buried our chances.” - Jonathan Bernier, on being able to settle in after the first goal

“Dewey [Drew Doughty] got it going. He got a stick on it and was able to get a bouncing puck up to the point. When there’s a forward coming at you and there’s a defenseman with a rolling puck, you never know what is going to happen, but I was able to get it to bounce over his stick and we were able to put the game away.” - Justin Williams, on his play to help start the 2-on-1.

“I’m fine. Obviously I was back out there again, so I’m fine. I just got it right on the nose again. There was a little bit of blood, but nothing drastic. I didn’t see the turnbuckle there. I kind of had my head down, making the play, and I ran right into it. But I’m fine, and he obviously didn’t mean to do it. … I missed a couple shifts, just to come in here [the locker room] and make sure i was symptom-free, but everything was fine.” - Drew Doughty, talking about his injury in the second period.

“There’s a great leadership group in there that get each other ready for these kinds of games. This was a difficult game here tonight. You’ve got a Columbus team that is gasping for their last breath, and this was a huge game for them, so for us to come in and match the intensity and play as well as we did in the first period, I liked it.” - Terry Murray, on the message to the team on this road trip.