Yachmenev also set up Dimitri Khristich's goal early in the second period for Los Angeles, which is 2-5-2 in its last nine games. The Kings trail Calgary and Chicago by eight points apiece for the final Western Conference playoff spot with eight games remaining.
"Our line had all the chances," said Khristich, who teamed with Yachmenev and Vladimir Tsyplakov for all of Los Angeles' six points. "It doesn't happen every game and sometimes it's the other lines. We don't have really big stars on our team. We were happy it was us tonight. We could've had three or four goals."
Lonny Bohonos and Markus Naslund tallied for Vancouver, which is five points out of the last playoff berth in the West. The Canucks also are sputtering, winning just two of their last 12 games (2-7-3).
"As a team, we would rather have a better outcome than we did," Bohonos said. "I think the big difference was we made a couple of mistakes and they came down and scored on them. We worked hard, had a lot of shots and their goalie played good. There were lots of chances to score at the end, they just didn't go in for us."
All of the scoring occurred in a 13:19 span of the second period.
Bohonos got his eighth goal of the season and first at home since Jan. 4 at 3:19, whipping a one-timer past Dafoe off Larry Courville's centering pass. Courville was sent into the Los Angeles zone by defenseman Jyrki Lumme.
Khristich tied it 32 seconds later, but Markus Naslund put Vancouver back in front at 8:25. He circled around the net into the right faceoff circle before wristing the puck past Dafoe, who was being screened by Alexander Mogilny.
Yachmenev re-tied it with his ninth goal of the season and fourth this month. He broke in on a two-on-one with Vladimir Tsyplakov, who set him up for a wrist shot from the slot that beat goalie Corey Hirsch to the glove side.
Vancouver's Mike Sillinger hit the post and crossbar in the final minute of the second period and an apparent go-ahead goal by the Canucks 2:11 into the third was negated by a tripping penalty to Mike Ridley.
Midway through the final period, Los Angeles' Kevin Smyth hit the right post and crossbar from the right circle. The Kings had another chance during a power play with four minutes remaining, but Hirsch got his arm on Matt Johnson's shot.
"I think the guys played hard and you have to give Byron credit. I thought he made some great saves. He was really the difference. If they don't have him in goal, they don't stand a chance," said Hirsch, who stopped 15 shots. "That line is the only line that has kept them out of last place, and their goaltending, also. I guess tonight one point's better than none."
In overtime, a point shot by Vancouver's Adrian Aucoin hit Dafoe's stick and caromed off his mask with 2:49 left.
"We are just finishing out the year now. It's hard to get up sometimes," Dafoe confessed. "If we can come into Vancouver and play a team that is as desperate as they are and come away with a point, we're pretty happy. The highlight for me tonight was getting hit in the head in overtime. Sometimes that's a great save to make."
Sergei Nemchinov made his Canucks' debut after missing seven
games with a rib injury. He was acquired March 8 as part of a
four-player deal with the New York Rangers.
Jon's 3 stars:
1. Byron Dafoe
2. Dmitri Khristich
3. Martin Gelinas
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