Kings continue to show maturity

The next Southern California hockey team that will make the NHL playoffs is the Kings.

Yes, the long-hapless and until recently hopeless Kings.

Not the Ducks, less than two years removed from their Stanley Cup championship but showing they need a major overhaul before they can become a force again.

The teams' role reversal probably won't come full circle this season, but it will happen.

Even though the Kings were 4-3 winners over the Ducks on Wednesday at a far-from-sold out Honda Center, showing pluck and patience after they squandered a 2-0 lead, they have too many shootout losses and not enough wins to think they can leap several spots in the tight West playoff scramble.

The Kings likely will finish a few points out of the top eight and that's not a bad fate. They're playing pressure games for the first time as a team -- many players for the first time in their NHL careers -- and they can only get better for it.

"It was probably one of the more important games in our franchise history the last five, six years," said Patrick O'Sullivan, who gave the Kings a 2-0 lead at 9 minutes 18 seconds of the first period.

These teams have passed while moving in opposite directions, the Ducks disintegrating more quickly than the Kings are maturing.

With the score 2-2 in the third period, it was the more experienced and supposedly more talented Ducks who faltered.

"I think we're finally starting to learn how to play when it gets down to that crucial time of the game," said Dustin Brown, whose hip-high deflection of a Kyle Quincey slap shot put the Kings ahead, 3-2, during a power play at 9:35 of the third period.

After Kings goalie Jonathan Quick made a right-pad save on Scott Niedermayer, the Ducks lost their cool again. Rob Niedermayer was sent off for cross-checking Kyle Calder at 13:37, and he was soon joined in the box by his brother Scott following a melee around the Kings' net.

Scott Niedermayer got minor penalties for charging and roughing but the Kings got only one penalty, against Quincey for roughing. That gave the Kings a five-on-three advantage for 1:49, and they scored on that, too, with Anze Kopitar connecting from close range.

Chris Kunitz's slap shot at 16:20 brought the Ducks within a goal but they could not take that final step that would have brought them even again, another shortcoming in a season full of such failings.