LOS ANGELES — Devon Toews scored a remarkable late goal with under five minutes remaining to help the Colorado Avalanche secure a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. The goal was the product of an impressive team effort and marked a significant moment in the game after more than 55 minutes of play.
Details of the Game-Winning Goal and Team Effort
The game-winning goal came after an exquisite sequence involving key Avalanche players. Nathan MacKinnon, who had a significant role in setting up the play, delivered a perfect pass to Toews. Another Canadian Olympic teammate, defenseman Cale Makar, contributed to the intricate three-man weave that left Toews with an open net for his second goal of the season.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Avalanche coach Jared Bednar praised their overall commitment.
“I liked our game a lot,”
Bednar said.
“We were committed on the defensive side of things, both suppressing chances and shots. We were pretty hungry on the offensive side of it, too.”
Early Injuries and Key Player Contributions
The victory, Colorado‘s 40th of the season, came with a setback as Artturi Lehkonen exited early with an upper-body injury. Bednar confirmed that Lehkonen will not participate in the upcoming game against the Anaheim Ducks and is expected to miss additional time.
Besides Toews’ late goal, Martin Necas added an empty-net goal near the end, and captain Gabe Landeskog finished the match with three points. MacKinnon also collected two points and demonstrated his dominance during 5-on-5 play, with 19 scoring chances and 20 shots on goal attributed to his presence on the ice in just over 19 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Bednar emphasized the impact of Colorado’s top line, saying,
“I thought the MacKinnon line with Necas and Landeskog were outstanding,”
and added,
“They were dangerous the whole night, right from the get go.”
Kings’ Resilience and Colorado’s Territorial Control
Monday marked the debut for Los Angeles under interim coach D.J. Smith. The Kings, led by goaltender Anton Forsberg, fought hard despite being clearly outplayed. Colorado dominated possession for nearly 55 minutes of the 60-minute contest, finally breaking through with Toews’ decisive goal.
An earlier controversial moment occurred when the Avalanche thought they had extended their lead to 3-1 early in the second period. Necas scored on a rebound from MacKinnon’s shot, but play was stopped prematurely because an official mistakenly believed Forsberg had puck control. The whistle negated the goal, provoking frustration among the Avalanche players.
Necas expressed his annoyance:
“I don’t know. (Forsberg) never covered it,”
Necas said.
“We’re there for two minutes in the o-zone. Yeah, that one pissed me off.”
First Period Dominance and Los Angeles’ Comeback Attempts
Colorado’s top line established dominance early by building a two-goal lead in the first period. Necas assisted MacKinnon on a quick one-timer during a 2-on-1 opportunity, which resulted in MacKinnon’s 41st goal of the season at 4:27. Landeskog furthered their advantage at 10:13, finishing a play that began with Necas retrieving a rebound off MacKinnon’s shot. Landeskog received a pass from defenseman Brent Burns for a one-timer goal that marked his eighth score of the season.
While Colorado controlled much of the game, the Kings managed to respond before the first period ended. Brandt Clarke scored on a power play just six seconds after Josh Manson took a penalty, sneaking a shot through the traffic unnoticed by Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.
Shortly after the waved-off Necas goal, the Kings leveled the game at 8:32 of the second period when rookie defenseman Angus Booth redirected a pass from Brian Dumoulin from close range. This tied the game and introduced tension late in the matchup.
Additional Scoring Opportunities and Missed Chances
The Avalanche continued pressing throughout but faced several near-misses. Aside from the disallowed goal, Colorado struck the post twice behind Forsberg and nearly scored on a shot by Brock Nelson that a Kings defenseman cleared off the line.
Necas commented on the sustained pressure:
“We had a lot of opportunities,”
he said.
“We got two right away, but then we had a lot of chances in the second. Nothing really went in, but we stuck with it and that’s what happens.”
Los Angeles Kings’ Lineup Challenges and Debuting Players
The Kings were missing several regular players, including Drew Doughty, Quinton Byfield, Kevin Fiala, and Andrei Kuzmenko, all sidelined due to injuries. This absence placed additional pressure on the roster to compete against the high-powered Avalanche squad.
Among the new faces for the Kings was Jared Wright, a recent graduate of the University of Denver and a 2024 national champion with the Pioneers. Wright, drafted in the sixth round in 2022 by Los Angeles, made his NHL debut after a strong rookie season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, scoring 15 goals and tallying 28 points in 53 games.
Looking Forward: Implications for the Avalanche and Kings
The Avalanche’s victory reflects their ongoing strong performance this season as they move closer to critical stages in the NHL calendar. Despite setbacks like Lehkonen’s injury, the team’s depth and star power, including MacKinnon, Toews, and Landeskog, continue to drive success. Coach Bednar’s focus on balanced defensive responsibility and offensive aggression remains central to their strategy.
The Kings, meanwhile, face challenges managing injuries while incorporating new players like Wright and Booth. Their valiant effort under interim coach D.J. Smith suggests resilience, but their roster limitations may complicate their ability to produce consistent results going forward.
The match highlighted the importance of precise officiating and seizing scoring chances, lessons likely to influence forthcoming games for both teams. The Avalanche must continue to capitalize on opportunities in tight contests, while the Kings will need to address injuries and develop cohesion among their evolving lineup.
