Jeff Carter's third goal of the night broke a deadlock with less than five minutes remaining in the third period as the Los Angeles Kings won consecutive games for the first time in March, beating the visiting Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Thursday.

With the score even at 2-2, Carter set up in the left faceoff circle. After Tobias Rieder did the work on the forecheck to get him the puck, Carter ripped the winner with 4:25 left in the game at Staples Center.

Carter, who missed 55 games due to a lacerated ankle tendon sustained in the second week of the season, has recorded 13 goals and 17 points in 17 games since returning to action.

Anne Kopitar added an empty netter with 1.7 seconds left for his career-high 35th goal of the season.

Jack Campbell made 20 saves for Los Angeles, which is third place in the Pacific Division. The Kings sit two points ahead of the Anaheim Ducks, the club they face on Friday.

Arizona defenseman Kevin Connauton continued his hot stretch to open the scoring at 12:26 of the opening frame. Connauton sent a point shot wide of the net, but he pinched in when Max Domi gained the puck at the far side, then buried a quick wrister after taking the cross-ice pass. Connauton, who collected two goals Wednesday at Vegas, has scored nine goals in the past 28 games and 10 on the season.

Carter tied the game with 27.5 seconds left in the first period for his first of the night. Carter, playing in his 900th NHL game and 400th with the Kings, set up shop in front of the net and deflected Derek Forbort's waist-high point shot past Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Domi restored the Arizona lead 5:14 into the second period. While the Coyotes were buzzing around the net, Domi pounced on a loose puck in the low slot and lifted a top-shelf backhand over Campbell.

Again Carter drew the Kings even. Dion Phaneuf made an excellent play to keep the puck in the zone, then sent a shot that Carter redirected into the goal.

Kuemper stopped 31 shots for the Coyotes, who saw a two-game winning streak end.

--Field Level Media