The Kings dropped their second consecutive game in regulation on Wednesday night. Falling 4-2 in Colorado to the Avalanche, they’ll head back to Los Angeles with a pair of road losses on this mini two-game trip. It was a strong start for the Kings in the mile high city, but momentum quickly turned in favor of the Avalanche after the first period and the Kings failed to regain it.
With Trevor Moore slotting onto the top line with Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar, the trio had instant results as they all factored in on the game’s opening goal 32 seconds in. A Kings dump in resulted in the top line getting in on the forecheck and there, the trio went tic-tac-toe to get a sharp angled shot from Kempe who followed his shot and banged in the rebound in the crease. Just over three minutes later, the Avalanche knotted the game at 1-1 with an Artturi Lehkonen rebound goal. Regaining the lead late in the first period, the Kings top line again all contributed on their second goal of the period. Kempe buried his second of the period and the trio each hax a pair of points after 20 minutes of play.
Unfortunately, it was all Avalanche from the drop of the puck to start the second period on. The Kings surrendered the game-tying goal late in the second period when Mikko Rantanen beat Darcy Kuemper with a contested breakaway goal. Unable to record a shot in the period, the Kings were outshot 13-0 in the middle stanza.
Things went from bad to worse in the third period when Kuemper, who had been keeping the Kings in the game with some outstanding play exited the game 5:19 in with an undisclosed injury. David Rittich came into the game in relief and was under siege early. Rittich allowed another Rantanen goal on his first shot faced, giving the Avalanche a lead they wouldn’t give back. Rantanen completed the hat trick with an empty net goal and the Avalanche doubled up the Kings after 60 minutes of play, leaving the Kings without a point on the road trip.
