from Rich Hammond of the OC Register,

If the Kings miss the playoffs, it might be because of the shootout. The post-regulation skills competition has haunted them all season, and it bit them again in a 2-1 shootout loss to Vancouver at Rogers Arena.

The Kings surrendered a third-period lead, as Daniel Sedin scored with 10:06 left in regulation, then the Kings put forth a tepid effort in the shootout. Canucks goalie Eddie Lack stopped three Kings wrist shots, and Chris Higgins beat Kings goalie Jonathan Quick in the third round to give Vancouver the extra point.

The Kings fell out of a playoff spot with three games remaining, and that’s largely because of extra-curricular activity. The Kings now have a 2-8 shootout record, plus a 1-7 record in games that end in the overtime period.

“We haven’t been helping Quickie out too much,’’ center Trevor Lewis said on Prime Ticket. “It’s over now. We have to move on. We only have three games left so we have to focus on the next game.’’

The Kings are technically tied with Calgary for third place in the Pacific Division but are losing the tiebreaker, and they are one point behind Winnipeg for the second and final wild-card spot. The Kings, Flames and Jets all have three games remaining.

read on for more on the game...