The LA Kings dropped a 4-2 decision in Game 3 on Thursday evening, falling behind three games to zero in the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Colorado scored the first, first period goal of the series, with a wonky bounce putting the visitors ahead early. A shot from the point by forward Gabriel Landeskog missed the net wide, but a hard kick off the endboards came back, off the back of Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg’s skate and into the net. Landeskog’s goal was his second of the series, with the Avalanche pulling ahead 1-0 just shy of five and a half minutes into the game.
Just shy of six minutes into the second period, the Kings tied the game at one with their first 5-on-5 goal of the series. Attacking off the rush, forward Quinton Byfield fed a pass through the low slot, with forward Trevor Moore burying at the back post to equalize the game 1-1. With forward Alex Laferriere tallying the secondary assist, all three players on that line collected their second point of the series.
Midway through the second period, the Avalanche restored their one-goal advantage as defenseman Cale Makar scored his first goal of the series. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty turned the puck over behind his own net, which led to an offensive-zone shift for Colorado. The visitors worked the puck to Makar at the point and after he moved to the middle of the ice, he perfectly placed a shot past Forsberg and in for a 2-1 lead.
The Avalanche took a two-goal lead just shy of eight minutes into the third period, via a shorthanded goal. The Kings went with five forwards and a fanned one-timer led to a 2-on-1 rush for Colorado the other way. A pass through the slot by forward Artturi Lehkonen deflected off the skate of Kings forward Adrian Kempe and in, through legs of Forsberg, for a 3-1 lead.
Skating on a late-game power play, the Kings found the back of the net on the man advantage for the third straight game, cutting their deficit to one. Forward Artemi Panarin, from the top of the left circle, shot through traffic, with forward Adrian Kempe getting a deflection on the way through, past Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood and in, bringing the score to 3-2.
Inside the final few minutes of play, Colorado hit the empty net through forward Brock Nelson to secure the 4-2 victory. The Kings mistimed the goaltending pull, which led to a neutral-zone turnover, giving Nelson the space to hit the empty cage from distance.
Hear from Byfield, defenseman Drew Doughty and Interim Head Coach D.J. Smith following Game 3.
