One of the few games left on the Colorado Avalanche calendar that would be seen as a fair test of their developing reputation as a real Stanley Cup contender was tonight’s game. The Los Angeles Kings, who had won nine of their past ten games and are among the few teams feeling as pleased about their recent play as the Avalanche, were the club they hosted.
Because they let up the second-fewest goals and shots on goal per game, the Kings are considered a defensive powerhouse. This was a significant test of Colorado’s new lineup since they have trouble scoring and had a terrible road record going into tonight—just 14 wins in 37 games. However, the Kings have been outstanding.
How would the Avs fare against a team that prevents clubs from playing quickly by putting them in a vice grip during the neutral zone?
The answer would be, “They kicked ass,” if I were to ask while shaking a magic eight ball. The Avs dominated the Kings tonight at 5v5 and on special teams, so the Kings essentially accomplished none of those things.
The lineup balance that led to tonight’s 4-0 victory is more encouraging for the Avalanche and more worrisome for the Kings. For the most part this season, the Kings have had trouble scoring, and today was no exception. As it turns out, the Avs have a number of 20-goal scorers at their disposal, which makes them a formidable defensive force in their own right.
The Avs won this game handily despite Colorado’s top line, which was captained by Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL’s top scorer, failing to score at 5v5. In the second period, Logan O’Connor was the beneficiary of some timeless Cale Makar skill, which set the score. Only 1:32 later, Martin Necas scored on a ball from Sam Girard off the end boards after the second line, led by Brock Nelson, went to work with passes that overwhelmed the Los Angeles defense.
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