Avalanche Suffer 5-2 Loss to Kings

The Colorado Avalanche dropped a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday evening at Ball Arena as the Avalanche as they continued their four-game homestand. Colorado is now 35-22-6 for their season record and rank third in the Central Division standings.

For the Avalanche, Evan Rodrigues, Nathan MacKinnon scored. In net, Alexandar Georgiev turned aside 26 of the 30 shots he faced. The Avalanche utilized a lineup of 12 forwards and six defensemen.
For the Kings, Adrian Kempe and Phillip Danault each scored twice, while Gabriel Valardi scored. Anze Kopitar dished out three assists. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves on 30 shots.
GAME SUMMARY:
Colorado put forth an "OK" effort against the Kings, according to Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar, but the Kings' stingy defense and higher compete level proved to be the difference in order to secure the two-point victory.
Despite outshooting the Kings 10-6, the Avalanche trailed the game by a 2-0 deficit heading into the first intermission as Los Angeles buried two goals on its initial four shots.
The Kings opened the scoring at 8:37 as they capitalized on an odd-man rush. Their top line of Quinton Byfield, Kopitar and Kempe pried the puck loose from the Avalanche in their own zone and charged a quick counter attack. On the 2-on-1 rush, Kopitar took his time before snapping the puck to the backdoor for Kempe to bury.
Late in the game, Los Angeles doubled its lead as they chipped the puck from the boards behind the net and sent a pass into the lower right faceoff circle for Vilardi where the winger fired his shot over Georgiev's right shoulder at 17:10.
The Avalanche trimmed their deficit down 2-1 despite the Kings laying on the pressure with a 15-9 advantage down in the middle frame.
Colorado capitalized late in the period at 14:59 shortly after failing to convert on their first power play of the game. From up top, Alex Newhook sent a lateral pass over to Samuel Girard at the point. The defenseman fired a high shot on net and at the net front, Rodrigues tipped it over Korpisalo.

The Avalanche received their second power play of the game - with the chance to even the score - at 17:44 as Phillip Danault was called for slashing, but didn't convert. On that power play, Georgiev made a pivotal stop as Trevor Moore was sprung for a shorthanded breakaway, but stoned by the Colorado netminder.
Early in the third period things got interesting as three goals were exchanged - two from the Kings and one from the Avalanche - but Los Angeles held on and added a late strike to ultimately seal the 5-2 victory.
The Kings wasted no time in the third period restoring their two-goal lead as Kempe lit the lamp on a nifty play which marked his second goal of the night. Kopitar notched his third assist of the night as he gathered the puck along the boards in the offensive zone and sent it to Vladislav Gavrikov. From the right faceoff circle, Gavrikov fed Kempe at the net front. With his back facing Georgiev, the Swedish winger turned and
Down 3-1, the Avalanche made the most of their third power play of the game as Makar drew a hooking penalty on Kempe at 3:15. The blueliner set up MacKinnon above the right faceoff circle, where the centerman took his space and then snapped a blistering wrist shot past Korpisalo's glove to trim the Avalanche's deficit down 4-2 at 4:24.
Los Angeles responded immediately just 15 seconds later. After winning an offensive zone faceoff in the right circle, the puck shot out to Jordan Spence at the point. The defenseman unleashed a blast on net and Danault redirected it past Georgiev to give the Kings a 4-2 lead at 4:39.
Colorado pulled Georgiev late in the game in exchange for the extra skater. From nearly 200-feet out, Danault sailed the puck into the empty net to pick up his second goal of the game and secure the 5-2 win for the Kings.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Rodrigues tallied his 13th goal of the season.
• MacKinnon buried his 27th goal of the season and his sixth goal on the power play. He also extended his goal streak to three games where he's scored as many goals in that span.
• Georgiev made his 46th start of the season, while his record dropped to 27-14-5.
• Colorado finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 0-for-4 on the penalty kill.
• Kurtis MacDermid (lower body), Pavel Francouz (lower body) and Josh Manson (lower body) were scratches for the Avalanche.

NEXT GAME:

The Avalanche conclude their four-game homestand at Ball Arena as the host Arizona on Saturday afternoon. The puck drops between the Avs and Coyotes at 4:00 p.m. MT.