DENVER – A Western Conference matchup between the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche saw plenty of excitement, just not for the home crowd. Thursday night the Avalanche hosted the Kings at Pepsi Center for a game that looked to shake up the playoff picture in the west.
The Avalanche got off to an early start, scoring their first goal 3:33 into the first period. Mikko Rantanen recorded his 27th goal of the season with assists from Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. Unfortunately for the home crowd, this would be the only offense Colorado would produce on the night.
Less than a minute after Rantanen’s goal, the Kings responded. Anze Kopitar scored his 30th goal of the season with an assist from Dustin Brown. There would be a lot more offense to come, especially from Kopitar.
With just under eight minutes left to play in the first period, Jake Muzzin tallied his seventh goal of the season assisted by Tyler Toffoli and Nate Thompson. This put the Kings on top, 2-1.
To end the first period, Kopitar scored his second of the game and his 31st on the season, assisted by Muzzin and Brown. Frustration was now setting in with the home team and their fans. By the end of the first period, the Kings had outshot the Avalanche 15-9, but most importantly had outscored the Avs 3-1.
The Pepsi Center had offered fans prepaid beers during their “Happy Hour” promotion and this was the time when fans needed it the most. During the first intermission lines at the concession stands was packed with fans looking to drown a few sorrows from the first period, and hope to have their home team would come out to play in the second. That wish went unfulfilled.
The Kings kept the pressure on in the second period scoring their fourth goal within the first minute. Tobias Rieder got things going for the Kings, as he scored his 10th goal of the season. Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick had the assists to extend their lead over the Avalanche to 4-1.
Neutral zone turnovers and ill advised passes in the offensive zone killed any scoring chance the Avalanche hoped to put together. Colorado was outshot again in the second period, 13-11.
With 7:33 left to play in the period, Kopitar completed the hat trick, beating Semyon Varlamov glove side to give the Kings a 5-1 lead halfway through the game. A surprising number of fans let loose with their hats to the disapproval of the home crowd.
This was the end of Varlomov’s evening. He had made 15 saves on 20 shots, a save percentage of .750. Jonathan Bernier was brought in to replace Varlomov.
In the third period, a comeback seemed unlikely. Any offensive pressure the Avalanche could muster was stopped by the aggressive play of the Kings.
To cap off his big night, Kopitar intercepted a bad pass from Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie and scored his fourth goal of the night, unassisted. The Kings lead was now 6-1 with 16:32 left to play in the game.
With 10:29 left in the game, Los Angeles was able to beat Bernier one more time. Rieder scored his second goal of the game and 11th of the season, assisted by Jeff Carter and Christian Folin. Folin’s goal completed a 7-1 Kings victory over the Avalanche, moving the Kings into the third spot in the Pacific division with 89 points.
Colorado remains in the first wild card spot with 88 points, tied with the Anaheim Ducks. The Avalanche will host the Golden Knights on Saturday while the Kings will travel to Edmonton to play the Oilers.
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