Wednesday night the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 in Denver. It is the sixth straight victory for the Kings, who are on a roll in February.
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog opened the scoring 3:09 into the game. Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon brought the puck into the Kings zone with blazing speed. MacKinnon was forced into the corner, turned and hit an oncoming Landeskog with a pass. Landeskog wired a one-time slapshot into the back of the Kings net.
L.A. went on to score four unanswered goals.
Los Angeles Kings
It started with Jeff Carter and ended with Jeff Carter.
Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov went behind the goal to play a dump-in puck. Varlamov made a poor play that resulted in a turnover to Dwight King at the half-boards. King pursued the puck, which came out to Tyler Toffoli at the point. Toffoli ripped a wrist-shot that hit the shaft of Jeff Carter’s stick in front of the goal, redirecting the puck into the net.
The goal continued a five-game point streak for Carter and King.
Toffoli scored next. After receiving an incredible backhand saucer-pass from Trevor Lewis, Toffoli cut to the net, deked and jammed a backhand shot past Varlamov. It was Toffoli’s 19th goal of the season. Toffoli, a second year NHLer who has a Stanley Cup ring, is now tied with Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby in goals on the season.
Captain Dustin Brown gave the Kings a two goal lead off an incredible saucer-pass from Drew Doughty. Doughty cut from the point to the corner of the Avs zone and fed Brown in front of the net. It was Brown’s 10th goal of the season and Doughty’s 30th assist, and Anze Kopitar’s 31st assist.
Kopitar and Doughty lead the Kings in assists, respectively.
The three goals ended the second period.
The entire game was a clinic of sick passes. For young players that want to become playmaking-feeding-machines watch the tape on this one.
In the last-minute of the game Jeff Carter swatted down a pass from Colorado defensemen, broke in and shot the puck into the empty net for his second goal of the game, his 18th of the season.
Holy Toffoli. Toffoli has 8 points in his last 5 games. In his last 10 games, dating back to January 28th, since his return from being sidelined with mononucleosis Toffoli has 7 goals and 11 points. Toffoli leads the Kings with 19 goals this season.
Feb 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) makes a save on Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) in the first period at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jeff Carter has 18 goals, 27 assists, 45 points, a +7 plus/minus and is tied with Marian Gaborik for the team lead with 7 power-play goals.
Quick made a ridiculous one-timer save on Alex Tanguay three feet off the crease, with just over five-minutes left in the third period to keep the Kings up by two goals.
That was just one of the 42 saves Quick made in win.
Quick made a number of impressive, or more accurately, mind-blowing stops. It’s that time of the season, and Jonathan Quick looks good . . . scary good.
The Kings, in unusual fashion, were outshot 43-26 in the game. L.A. was 1-for-4 on the power-play with an empty net goal on the man advantage at the end of the game. Colorado was 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
Drew Doughty has looked like the best defensemen in the NHL. Doughty had two assists on the night and is now second on the team with 30. Doughty is fourth on the team in points, first among defensemen. In 57 games Doughty has 5 goals, 35 points and a +5 plus/minus.
Doughty will certainly be a Norris Trophy finalist, but once again, he’ll face stiff competition. In 57 games Nashville Predators star Shea Weber has 14 goals, 28 assists, 42 points, +21 plus/minus, and 4 power-play goals.
L.A. is now in 4th place in the Pacific Division. The Vancouver Canucks have a game in hand but the Kings are only 2 points back of the Calgary Flames who sit in 2nd. L.A. is tied with the San Jose Sharks at 66 points, but the Kings have two games in hand.
The Kings next game is outdoors for the 2015 Stadium Series at Levi’s Stadium, on Saturday 21st at 7:00 p.m. against the San Jose Sharks.
Next: L.A. Kings: Trade Thoughts and Crazy Talk
Feb 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; The Los Angeles Kings celebrate their win over the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center. The Kings defeated the Avalanche 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports