“We weren’t panicking when we didn’t win the first three”. The line of Milan Lucic-Jeff Carter-Toffoli combined for 11 shots on goal.
Advertisement
Marian Gaborik also scored, Jonathan Quick made 21 saves, and the Kings beat the Avalanche for the sixth straight time and improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine meetings.
“It’s a good sign”, Toffoli said. “The one [goal], we’ve got to be sharper on that and better than that and take that puck away”.
The puck flies by Colorado Avalanche goalie Reto Berra, of…
“They played really well and had a few really good chances”, Colorado coach Patrick Roy said of the Kings. “We worked hard and we moved the puck”.
The Los Angeles Kings are finally playing fast. “Hopefully, we’re able to convert”.
Following the “always leave them wanting more” model, the Kings ended their season-opening five-game homestand with far more optimism than when it started. It was Gaborik’s first goal this season. Since then, the Kings have picked up points in eight straight games against the Avalanche, posting a 7-0-1 record.
Colorado Avalanche left wing Blake Comeau, left, takes the puck as… Both were handed game misconduct penalties after their skirmish.
The Kings had several chances to put their defencemen to use in the offensive zone as the Avalanche were sloppy with the possession.
Advertisement
Quick faced 23 shots and allowed only a power-play goal to wide-open Avalanche center Matt Duchene in the second period after Carl Soderberg threaded a pass through the crease just past the stick of Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb. Unfortunately, an errant pass by Erik Johnson would give Tyler Toffoli a breakaway and give the Kings their game winning goal just 23 seconds later. For Toffoli, it was his club-leading third goal this season. Kings D Matt Greene missed his second consecutive game due to an upper body injury he suffered in the preseason. “Reto kept us in it, and Quick kept them in it. At the end of the day, it comes down to one goal, and we were pretty close to tying it up there at the end”. “We’ve got to win a lot more than two games to make the playoffs”. “It wouldn’t have been for the faint of heart, that’s for sure”. The Kings are 4-0-1 in their last five games against the Avalanche on home ice at STAPLES Center.LINEUP: According to how the Kings skated this morning at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, there appear to be no changes to the lines they skated with on Friday night.
