Avalanche Beat Kings: Landeskog Shines, Forsberg Stars in Smith’s Debut

LOS ANGELES – The Colorado Avalanche continued their dominant season, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4-2 on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena, spoiling the debut of new Kings head coach D.J. Smith. Devon Toews scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period, securing the win for Colorado and making them the first team in the NHL to reach 40 victories this season.

The Avalanche, now boasting a record of 40-10-9, demonstrated their offensive firepower early, jumping to a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. MacKinnon’s goal was his league-leading 41st of the season. The Kings responded with a power-play goal from Brandt Clarke, but Colorado maintained control throughout much of the contest.

Toews’ decisive goal came with 4:55 remaining in the third period. He converted a return pass from MacKinnon just outside the crease, beating Anton Forsberg’s blocker for his second goal of the season. Martin Necas then sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, bringing the final score to 4-2.

“That was just really a test of our patience,” Landeskog said. “Adversity is never a bad thing, so I thought for us we did a good job of responding. I thought we did a good job of sticking with it.”

Despite the loss, the Kings showed signs of improvement in Smith’s first game behind the bench. Forsberg, who faced 35 shots, was named the game’s first star for his strong performance in net. The Kings, whereas, were hampered by a significant number of injuries and illnesses, forcing them to ice three players making their NHL debuts: Angus Booth, Kenny Connors, and Jared Wright. Booth scored a goal, tying the game at 2-2 in the second period.

The Avalanche’s victory marks the fourth time since relocating to Colorado in 1995-96 that the team has reached 40 wins. In two of the previous three instances (2000-01, 2021-22), they went on to win the Stanley Cup. This historical precedent adds weight to their current success, though Landeskog cautioned against complacency.

“I suppose we had a pretty special start of the year, the first half,” Landeskog stated. “But I think, as a group, you’re really only as good as you are to this point, as you are today and as you continue to play moving forward. So, we haven’t done anything yet.”

The game was particularly notable as the first for D.J. Smith as the Kings’ interim head coach, following the firing of Jim Hiller on Sunday. Smith faces a challenging task in turning around a Kings team currently four points outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Kings were missing key players including Drew Doughty, Joel Armia, and Darcy Kuemper due to injury or illness, further complicating Smith’s debut.

“Anytime you play against a team that’s just made a change like that, you know there’s going to be some heightened desperation there,” Landeskog added, acknowledging the added intensity brought by the Kings’ coaching change. “I thought overall it was a good game.”

Mackenzie Blackwood made 19 saves for the Avalanche, contributing to their solid defensive performance. The Avalanche capitalized on their offensive opportunities, converting on a power play late in the game to extend their lead. The Kings, despite a valiant effort, were unable to overcome the Avalanche’s consistent pressure and skilled playmaking.

The Colorado Avalanche will continue their road trip with a visit to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Kings will return home to host the New York Islanders on Thursday, as D.J. Smith begins the process of reshaping the team in his image.