Avalanche run winning streak to 5 by dumping Kings

[January 21, 2022] Darcy Kuemper had 40 saves, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist, and the visiting Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Thursday night.

Kiefer Sherwood, Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Devon Toews also scored and Nathan MacKinnon had two assists to help Colorado win on back-to-back nights in Southern California.

The Avalanche have won five straight and 10 of their last 11.

Anze Kopitar scored and Jonathan Quick stopped 23 shots for the Kings. Los Angeles played without leading scorer Adrian Kempe, who was out due to the NHL's health and safety protocol.

The Kings outshot Colorado 34-15 through the first two periods but still trailed heading into the third.

Rantanen got the first score of the night when he positioned himself next to the crease and redirected a pass from MacKinnon past Quick at 9:43 of the first period. It was his team-leading 21st goal of the season.

It stayed 1-0 after the first period and Los Angeles continued to carry the play into the second, but Colorado struck again. The Kings' Brendan Lemieux tried to get the puck to the center of the defensive zone, but it went to Sherwood in the right circle, and he beat Quick to make it 2-0 at 3:06 of the second.

It was his first goal of the season.

Colorado Avalanche left wing Andre Burakovsky (95) moves the puck ahead of Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) during the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Kings finally broke through later in the second. With Toews off for delay of game, Los Angeles swarmed in the offensive zone and cashed in when Kopitar knocked in a loose puck from the top of the crease at 8:58.

It was his 13th of the season.

The Kings got a chance to tie it on the power play early in the third but Colorado killed it off. As Aube-Kubel came out of the box, Logan O'Connor hit him with a pass at center ice. Aube-Kubel skated in alone on Quick and beat him high to the stick side at 4:11.

It was his sixth of the season.

Quick came off for an extra skater with 3:30 left, but Toews scored into the empty net.

--Field Level Media

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