<p>GLENDALE, Ariz. — Anze Kopitar had an assist to reach 1,000 career points, Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and the Los Angeles Kings eliminated the Arizona Coyotes from playoff contention with a 4-2 win Wednesday night.</p>
<p>The Coyotes got some good news in their longshot bid to make the playoffs when St. Louis lost to Anaheim.</p>
<p>The Kings ended Arizona’s hopes and bolstered their own longshot chances in the Coyotes’ home season finale. </p>
<p>Kopitar, who had a goal and an assist Monday, became the fourth Los Angeles player to reach 1,000 career points on Sean Walker’s empty-net goal. Cal Petersen had 28 saves and Jaret Anderson-Dolan also scored for Los Angeles, which trails the Blues by eight points but has five games left.</p>
<p>Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun had his 18th goal, which leads all NHL defensemen, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson also scored. Adin Hill stopped 18 shots.</p>
<p>Once in the West Division’s fourth spot, the Coyotes dropped out of the race by losing nine of 12.</p>
<p>The Kings won the first in the two-game series 3-2 behind 15 saves by Petersen after Jonathan Quick went out with a lower-body injury in the second period.</p>
<p>The Coyotes got off to a slow start in that game, but didn’t have that problem Wednesday night. Ekman-Larsson scored 1:19 in on a wrist shot Petersen couldn’t see through a screen. </p>
<p>It didn’t last.</p>
<p>Vilardi scored three minutes later from the right circle on a shot that hit Hill’s glove and trickled in. Anderson-Dolan made it 2-1 later in the period on a shot from the slot Hill couldn’t see through three teammates in front.</p>
<p>The Coyotes had a quick answer, scoring nine seconds into the power play when Chychrun punched in a rebound that got behind Petersen.</p>
<p>Both teams tightened up in their own end after the four-goal first period and both opened the third by hitting a post — the Kings’ Mikey Anderson, then Arizona’s Conor Garland.</p>
<p>Vilardi broke the tie 4 1/2 minutes in, one-timing a pass from Lias Andersson on a shot just outside the crease. Petersen made some tough saves down the stretch and Kopitar hit the 1,000-point mark on Walker’s goal.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>The Kings host the first of two games against Colorado on Friday.</p>
<p>The Coyotes play the first of two games at San Jose Friday.</p>
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<p>More AP NHL coverage: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NHL">https://apnews.com/hub/NHL</a></p>
