LOS ANGELES — The LA Kings simply didn’t have the same firepower as the Colorado Avalanche on opening night.
On an evening that was supposed to be full of excitement at Crypto.com Arena, including the Kings unveiling brand-new uniforms, LA struggled to find connectivity, directly allowing Colorado to take advantage of mistakes and turnovers. The Avalanche won 4-1, as the Kings avoided the shutout thanks to a late 5-on-3 goal from Kevin Fiala.
Martin Necas led the game with two goals for Colorado. Blueliner Cale Makar added two assists, Artturi Lehkonen had two points and Sam Malinskin scored from the point.
LA ultimately led in shots, 25-23, but struggled to generate offense early after a deadlocked first period. The Avalanche ran away with the game in the second period, scoring thrice — making the Kings’ solid third-period effort less meaningful.
Talk of Troy reporter Kasey Kazliner attended the game and broke down the Kings’ frustrating loss on Skate of Thrones, TOT’s Kings podcast.