Kings boost playoff chances with 3-0 victory over Flames

CALGARY, Canada — Recovery Day … how about calling this the Recovery Night?

The Kings did that and more in another in a long line of so-called biggest games of the season, beating the Calgary Flames, 3-0, on Wednesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, putting them in seventh place in the Western Conference.

The Kings have 88 points, one point behind Pacific Division-leading Dallas. San Jose also has 88 points and Phoenix has 87. The four teams all have five games left.

The Kings effectively shut down Calgary’s playoff hopes with Jonathan Quick’s ninth shutout of the season, which broke a franchise record that had been held by Rogie Vachon. Quick made 19 saves for his 23rd career shutout and faced only four shots in the third period.

So one rival out of the way, smothered and skated into the ground in an impressive display of rising to the big occasion. The Kings got goals from defenseman Willie Mitchell, captain Dustin Brown and an empty-netter by Justin Williams with 1 minute 9 seconds remaining for their first win in three games.

Still there was just as much intense focus and rapt attention afterward. After all, there were still a couple of results up in the air. Anze Kopitar, who assisted on Brown’s goal with a dazzling give-and-go in the second period, sat in the dressing room and asked for a summary of the scores, in particular, the Ducks-Sharks result.

He nodded as all the information was passed along. All going the right way, right? Kopitar, who had two assists, smiled and knocked wood.

And Kings Coach Darryl Sutter’s postgame media session was delayed, a bit, because the coaches were watching the conclusion of the Ducks’ win.

Sutter, the Flames’ former coach and general manager, then brought his toddler granddaughter, Mackenzie, in front of the cameras and notepads, adding: “She was 2-0 in here this year.”

It was another typically frantic day in the West race. Sutter had given the team a recovery day after a loss Monday at Vancouver, a much-needed mental and physical break from the rink.

It showed as the Kings came out sharp and dominated the Flames. Not only did it feature Mitchell’s goal, a shot from the left point, but the line of Williams-Kopitar-Brown put on an impressive display of puck possession. Quick was equally sharp early, too, robbing Alex Tanguay late in the first period.

“Quite honest, we needed a big game out of him, right?” Sutter said. “The style of game we play, our goaltender has got to be good too. We’ve tried to give our players more freedom and our goalie has got to be good for us.”

Quick paid tribute to Vachon, who had eight shutouts in the 1976-77 season and said what was to be expected about holding the franchise record.

“At the same time, it is all about what we’re doing as a team, about winning games,” Quick said. “I said earlier, I felt it was a matter of time. I’m not trying to say it in a bad way.

“But the way the game of hockey is going nowadays, it’s so much more defensive-minded.”

This was Sutter’s second visit to Calgary since becoming coach of the Kings. He won twice here and brother Brent, the Flames coach, won twice in Los Angeles.

This game, however, was all about the race and place in the Western Conference, not the Sutter family.

“It’s not about that, right?” Darryl Sutter said. “It’s so tight. ... Brent and I talked this morning. What’s the difference between six, seven and eight, nine, 10, 11? Like one inch. That’s the way it is.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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