Kings end losing streak with 2-0 victory at Nashville

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Here are words you probably never thought you’d read:

Scott Parse is the Kings’ hottest scorer.

Parse scored his third goal in two games at 7:50 of the third period, Sean O’Donnell added an insurance goal with just over two minutes to play while the teams were skating four-on-four and Jonathan Bernier stopped 34 shots Tuesday as the Kings ended a four-game winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena.

In ending a seven-game winless streak against the Predators, the Kings also set a club record with their 22nd road victory of the season, breaking the record of 21 set by the 1980-81 team.

Randy Jones, recovered from the elbow injury that kept him out of Monday’s loss at Minnesota, won the puck along the boards and sent it behind the net to Jeff Halpern, who found Parse in the slot. The rookie winger snapped a 12-foot shot past Pekka Rinne for his 11th goal this season. Halpern earned his first point with the Kings. O’Donnell scored on a wrist shot from the left circle with 2:01 to play to clinch the victory.

Of greater importance, the Kings’ trimmed their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to six: If they get six points or Calgary fails to get six, the Kings will be in the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Bernier, called up from Manchester (N.H.) of the American Hockey League on Monday, earned his first NHL shutout in his second start this season. He previously won a shootout at Dallas on March 12.

The Kings stayed in seventh in the West because Detroit won, too. The Kings have 92 points after 76 games. Colorado is eighth, with 89 points but has a game in hand on the Kings. Calgary has 85 points after 76 games.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

Helene Elliott in Nashville, Tenn.