Kings @ Avalanche: Live Thread

The Los Angeles Kings (40-21-9) face off against the Colorado Avalanche (44-25-3) in Denver, marking the second meeting between the two teams. The Avs defeated the Kings earlier in the season with a 4-2 victory. Both teams are absolutely humming right now, with the Avs having won 11 of their last 13 games and the Kings having won nine out of their last ten.

What looks like a scheduled loss on paper, the Kings have an abysmal road record (14-18-5) while the Avs are solid in their barn (24-10-2). The Kings have not been able to solve the combination of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen in the past, but will now only have to face the former, with Rantanen in Dallas.

Not that all was derailed in Denver, infact, one could argue their pursuit of another championship is just as ripe. Rantanen gone yes, but the Avalanche added Martin Necas, Charlie Coyle, and Brock Nelson. Combine those ingredients with Valeri Nichushkin, Arturi Lehkonen and Jonathan Drouin, and you've got yourself a contender. This is just about as good as any forward group in the league, and that's not even mentioning their backend headlined by the league's most talented defenseman. A heck of a test for the Kings. As mentioned, it has the feeling of a 'scheduled L'.

The Kings are also turning to David Rittich, their backup who has had a turbulent season to date. How that impacts the team while in the thick of a home ice chase for the playoffs within their division will be on full display. Stay tuned for what looks to be an underdog outlook in Denver for the Kings, for as much as they look invincible at home, they are mortal on the road, with an elite dance partner to have last change.

FIRST PERIOD

Rittich looks solid to start, but back-to-back icings with the fourth line out poses some problems.

Quick counterattack by Trevor Moore at the blueline, creates a partial breakaway that gets foiled.

Interference on Nelson, the Kings will have the first powerplay of the game. This was pretty clear cut, almost 'pick' like.

Nothing going for the Kings on their powerplay, and Lehkonen levels Alex Laferriere in open ice. Clean, hard hit.

MacKinnon blew past Jordan Spence for a shot that sat for half a heartbeat on the goal line. Very fortunate he didn't cash in.

Huge save by Blackwood on Jeff Mallot who walks out in front after some up and down action stemming from the Quinton Byfield line. Drew Doughty is stopped prior on a one timer from the slot that sent the Avs the other way on an odd manned rush.

Holding penalty on Phillip Danault after a point shot rebounds right in front of the crease causing a mayhem of collison.

One too many passes and the Avs can't cross seam twice. Kings clear. Avs keep up the pressure, but the Kings get the much-needed kill.

Devon Toews is having himself a game as well. Has foiled a plethora of Kings entries and attempts that get pushed to the outside, sealed off on the wall and out.

Rittich with his biggest save of the night, MacKinnon with a pass to the crease from behind the net to Nichushkin, who shoots point blank.

I'm seeing 12-6 SOG for the Avs, and yes, the chances and looks have gone one way. Kings get out of this period still 0-0, that's a huge win to take into the second period.

Rare Avs icing and an opportunity to apply pressure. Danault line comes over the boards. Moore gets sealed off in the corner and the Avs go back on attack. Kings have not gotten an offensive look in over seven minutes.

Kopitar goes heavy into the boards but gets up on his own. Huge exhale there. Came off a shot created for Byfield who has shifted up to the top line to get something going.

Cross check on MacKinnon to Mikey Anderson, which came after a flurry of Avs chances. Massive turn of events for a last half of a period that was dominated by the Avs. 

Kings win the draw with just under four seconds and Joel Edmundson pots a slapper wide. End of the first.

SECOND PERIOD

Passes disconnecting early, with Fiala unable to get the puck deep. Even with possession, the Kings are unable to connect multiple passes in a row. Nothing going on for them. Easy looking kill for Colorado.

Edmundson with Gavrikov in the O-zone. Mixing pairs for the Kings to start the second.

Laferriere with Kopitar after the powerplay. Believe Hiller trickling players back in. Nichushkin with another great look, stopped by Rittich. Kings look stagnant in the Dzone. Still nothing being generated by the Kings in the offensive zone.

Kings D not activating as much, if not at all, with too much to risk with these Avs going the other way. Low event game from LA right now.

Avs D looking exceptional against the Kings. LA has noting going in the o-zone going on 20 minutes of play--that being said, Makar skates around Edmundson, feeding Logan O'Connor for the game's first goal.

Bounce off the boards and Necas tucks it behind Rittich for the games second, Avs up 2-0. Fortunate bounce, but all Avs right now.

Rare Avs icing after Laferriere gets a hard-earned zone entry but whiffs on the next pass. After some exchange, LA gets their first odd-manned rush of the period for a shot wide by Kempe.

Centering attempt is foiled by the Avs, who takes it the other way to see a rare fourth line shift by the Kings.

Kings draw a hook from the second line after gaining the zone with some speed. Some much needed boost could come from a goal here, if not 2-0 seems insurmountable against this worthy foe.

Kings miss again with a Kempe one timer, regain entry and a curl and drag by Fiala causes mayhem and a bounce off the back boards that Kempe fires back on net from an impossible angle to bank off Blackwood. No dice.

Logan O'Connor further frustrates Kempe, and the Avs frustrate the Kings lifeless powerplay. One shot, and 0-3 on the night.

Inference call after Byfield is unable to curl the puck around Blackwood after he beat the goalie clean but not beating Toews on the goal line. Foegele goes straight into the goalie and the Avs get the opportunity to pour it on after the Kings almost get the lead cut in half. Poetic.

Hand pass at first looked to be another penalty call, but instead a hand pass. Doom avoided for now.

Necas drops another off a one timer and this one looks to be a wrap. 3-0 Avs.

Avs follow it up pinning the Kings fourth line in their zone, getting a breakaway posthaste that misses wide. All Avs.

Andrei Kuzmenko backchecks helps out Anderson who fails to keep the puck alive in the Ozone. Good to see from a player not known for his 2way play.

Devon Toews is having himself a game, just like the rest of the team. Cutting down Kings plays and sawing off entries as good as I've seen against the Kings this season.

"Mallot down on his knees" from ESPN at the end of the period, and in all reality-- the Kings on their knees.

THIRD PERIOD AND SUMMARY

Not much happened for the Kings, who had a costly third period penalty that saw the Avs cross seam a pass for a one timer from Drouin to make an already unreachable game 4-0. Scheduled L absolutely, not much fight in the Kings in this one and the road woes continue. Game comes down to a second period play in which Byfield corralled a puck all alone, walking it around Blackwood, only to be foiled by not Blackwood, but Toews. Penalty gets drawn in the mayhem that ensued with Foegele plowing into Blackwood.

Avs score on that to make it 3-0 instead of Byfield making it a 2-1 game. Huge difference.