Rink Royalty
Fansided

LA Kings route the defending champ Avalanche for fifth straight win

By Cameron Franck

Mar 9, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (49) defends Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard (49) defends Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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The LA Kings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 in their first away matchup in the month of March.

After a routing by the New York Rangers on February 26, 2023, the LA Kings have been on a tear since the 5-2 loss to one of the Stanley Cup favorites. Now the Kings have five wins in eleven days and have been rolling due to contributions from several players. In this particular matchup, it was the offense of Phillip Danault that helped propel the Kings to a win.

Usually, when praising Phillip Danault for his contributions, it would be for his defensive shutdown capabilities. But, in this particular game he netted two goals on only three shots on goal. Shooting that high of a percentage is not something that happens on a regular basis in the world of hockey. So, acknowledging his offensive talent in this matchup is just as important as his Selke-like defensive abilities.

For five total goals, the LA Kings did not spread the love across the scoreboard. Danault scored two, Adrian Kempe scored two, and Gabriel Vilardi scored one. Vilardi’s goal is his first after his Hat-Pick worthy dangle around St. Louis Blues net-minder Jordan Binnington in close to the net. It will always be fun to re-live that goal.


For the second straight game, both Adrian Kempe and Phillip Danault find the back of the net. Danault now has 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points. Kempe now has 32 goals and 19 assists for 51 points. 

The LA Kings currently sit at second place in the Pacific Division behind the Vegas Golden Knights. However, both teams are tied at 84 points. At this rate, with the way the Western Conference sits, it seems like the Kings will have no trouble getting into the playoffs. But the question then becomes: how far can Joonas Korpisalo and Pheonix Copley take them?

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