In Denver, the Colorado Avalanche scored six goals in the second period en route to a 7-1 thrashing of the visiting Los Angeles Kings.
Mikko Rantanen struck for two goals but left the game with a lower body injury.
“He had a lower-body tweak, so I just kept him out of the third period for precautionary reasons, wanted to make sure he’s healthy for our next game,” said Avalanche coach
Semyon Varlamov had an easy time of it in a 7-1 win over the Kings – file photo courtesy of Lewis Bleiman
Jared Bednar, who expects Rantanen to play Monday against the Nashville Predators.
Gabriel Landeskog, Alexander Kerfoot, Sheldon Dries, Colin Wilson, and Carl Soderberg all scored for the Avs.
Colorado improved to 22-18-8.
“It started goal after goal after goal,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said of the second period. “I thought we’re all trying to do the right things, we’re all working hard and we’re competing, but we’re not executing. There are so many things you can do to execute. Guys can talk more, I think that’s the main thing.
“We need to help each other out more. It was just a pathetic second period. I really don’t even know what to say.”
Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves to get the win.
“It’s one game and it was a good game. It’s up to us now to make sure that it does propel us in the right way. We know how we have to play to win hockey games. I think we showed it today. If we play that way, we’ll be hard to beat,” Landeskog said.
Ilya Kovalchuk scored the only goal for the Kings after the Avs had built a 7-0 lead.
“It was real easy for us to come in focused,” Tyson Barrie (three assists) said. “We know how bad we’ve been lately, and that’s unacceptable for this group. We’re a team that has a lot of pride. We had a lot to prove, and I think we did that. Now it will be a test for us to show that we can do it on a nightly basis.”
[WATCH: All Kings vs. Avalanche highlights]
Jonathan Quick got the start for LA and made 17 stops before getting the hook in the second period.
“It comes down to the will to compete and execute and want to win. It’s just embarrassing. We had a chance to have a great trip, get five of six points. We were really hungry before this game. We felt good. To go out there and play [poorly stinks],” Drew Doughty said after the thumping.
Jack Campbell entered the game midway through the second period and made 16 saves.
“If there was anything, Colorado was due,” Kings head coach Willie Desjardins said. “They hadn’t been on top of their game and they were going to come hard. They got a shorty, power play, so kind of everything that could go wrong with our team went wrong tonight.”
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