LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings have decided to make their postseason push with two dependable veteran goalies sharing the crease.

Los Angeles acquired Ben Bishop from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday in a trade including goalie Peter Budaj and an exchange of draft picks.

The Kings will pair Bishop with Jonathan Quick in a formidable tandem down the stretch as they attempt to make the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. Los Angeles (30-27-4) began the day three points behind St. Louis for the second wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

Quick returned only Saturday from a 59-game absence with a serious groin injury, and general manager Dean Lombardi didn’t want to overwork his two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie during a difficult March schedule.

“This is not an insurance policy,” Lombardi said. “It is a way that we think to make sure that Jon is broken in properly, and make sure we’re in position to win every game down the stretch. Let’s face it, there’s not a lot of room for error ... and we want to make sure we have a No. 1 goalie in there every night.”

The Kings gave up Budaj, who filled in admirably as their starter during Quick’s 4 1/2-month absence, along with junior defenseman Erik Cernak. Tampa Bay also got a 2017 seventh-round pick and another conditional pick that could become a second-round selection, but only if extraordinary conditions are met.

Los Angeles received Bishop and Tampa Bay’s 2017 fifth-round pick. Bishop is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Both teams are scrapping to get into playoff position over the next six weeks. The Lightning (27-25-8) are seven points back of a playoff spot, while the veteran-laden Kings are determined to avoid a third straight year without a playoff series victory.

Quick has been their starter when healthy since December 2008, but the Kings are wary of endangering the long-term health of a goalie under contract until 2023. Los Angeles visits the Minnesota Wild on Monday night to begin a stretch of 15 games in 31 days.