LOS ANGELES — The top two teams in the Pacific Division met in a watershed showdown and did not disappoint as the Kings defeated the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-2, in a game with playoff-level intensity on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Winger Gabe Vilardi kicked off the scoring and then the second line took over with Viktor Arvidsson, Phillip Danault and Alex Iafallo contributing a goal apiece and eight combined points. Pheonix Copley was back between the pipes where he earned his seventh win in eight appearances with 23 saves as the Kings improved to 5-0-1 in their past six games.

Former Kings Michael Amadio and Brayden McNabb scored for Vegas. Logan Thompson stopped 21 of 24 shots. Vegas was without several regulars, including Jack Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore. Former Kings defenseman Alec Martinez left the game Tuesday in the first period and did not return.

“They were missing some players but they’re still a damn good team and we kept that group to (19) even-strength shots, that’s not a bad night for our group,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said.

“We were connected tonight, player-to-player, passing, structure-wise, we used our structure really well, especially at the end of the game,” he added.

In the final period, the Kings turned shot suppression into their second lead of the night. They didn’t allow a shot on goal for nearly eight minutes and then scored in transition off a rush that Iafallo finished with a short-side snipe from the left slot with 11:24 remaining.

“It was fun, we were just trying to stay on their D, stay on the hunt,” Iafallo said. “Trying to support each other in every zone, it definitely helped going forward to get the three-on-twos and two-on-ones, so it was good execution.”

Iafallo said all four lines forechecked effectively and that the entire roster contributed to a strong, three-zone third period.

“Everybody was playing good. They had good angles, angling the puck and trying to knock it down,” Iafallo said. “Everybody was chipping in, making blocks and poking the puck out. If we keep having those team efforts, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

One relentless shift leading to a nifty play for a goal deserved another in the second period.

Sustained pressure by the Golden Knights earned them their first edge of the evening just past the halfway point of the game. Defenseman Brayden Pachal hit the net with a long slap shot before winger Reilly Smith bounced a followup off Copley’s pad, recovered the rebound and sent a between-the-legs, no-look pass to McNabb at the back post. He narrowly beat Iafallo to the spot for his first goal of 2022-23.

But the Kings pulled even 13:22 into the period when they repeatedly prevented Vegas from clearing their own zone. Arvidsson then went to work from behind the net, stepping out for what initially appeared to be a wraparound attempt but instead became a pass across the blue paint for Danault’s tap-in tally.

“We’ve been playing better defensively, so I think that creates more chances offensively,” Danault said. “It’s weird to say, but you do the right things defensively, you get the chance to forecheck and you’re frustrating the other teams … and that’s where you get scoring chances.”

Danault has three goals and seven points during his five-game scoring streak. Copley preserved the tie in the final minute with a sliding save on Jake Leschyshyn.

“I bet you when he sits tomorrow, he’ll go ‘that’s not how I wanted to make that save,’ but he made it, and that’s important,” said McLellan, emphasizing the timeliness of Copley’s stops.

In the first period, the Kings killed the game’s first penalty, thanks in part to an authoritative glove save by Copley on winger Mark Stone. They also got the game’s first goal, though they gave back their lead in short order.

Pressure for Jaret Anderson-Dolan on the forecheck created confusion between the Vegas defensemen, McNabb and Daniil Miromanov, and a giveaway came to Blake Lizotte. He found Vilardi in the right circle for a one-timer and his team-leading 15th goal of the season.

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“He’s become essential for us. He plays on the first power-play unit, he can play up or down the lineup, he scores timely goals,” McLellan said of Vilardi, who equaled his career high with 23 points.

But Vilardi took a penalty just 48 seconds later and Vegas scored 23 seconds into its power play. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo fed Amadio for a one-time blast to the short side from the left faceoff dot.

“It was definitely a big game for us, for both teams, really, that’s two huge points,” Iafallo said.

NOTES

Quinton Byfield was recalled from the minors and played his first game since Oct. 25. … As expected, winger Arthur Kaliyev was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, retroactive to Dec. 20. … Forward Trevor Moore (undisclosed) missed Tuesday’s game and should be considered doubtful for Thursday’s match in Colorado. … Defenseman Alex Edler (rest) returned and replaced Jordan Spence.