Kings' Power Play No-Shows, Avalanche Bury LA 8-4 in Opener

Okay guys, pour yourself something cold, because Opening Night did not go the way we drew it up on the home whiteboard. The Kings dropped the season opener to the Colorado Avalanche 8-4 at Ball Arena, and if you want the one stat that tells the whole story, here it is: Colorado went 4-for-5 on the power play. The Kings went 0-for-4. You cannot keep taking penalties against a team that finishes on 80 percent of its chances and expect to drive home happy.

Brock Nelson opened the scoring on a power play 6:33 into the first, with Jaden Schwartz and Nazem Kadri drawing assists. The Kings answered when Brian Dumoulin ripped one through traffic from the point to tie it 1-1 at 15:14 (that's a blueliner cashing in, my favorite kind of goal). But Parker Kelly put Colorado back in front 2-1 before the period ended, assisted by Josh Manson.

Then the Second Period Happened

Folks, I need you to sit down for this one, because Colorado scored FOUR times in twenty minutes. Nathan MacKinnon opened the carnage just 23 seconds in on a 5-on-3 power play (A FIVE ON THREE, people), making it 3-1. Give the Kings credit, Joel Armia answered on the penalty kill off assists from Erik Haula and Cody Ceci to make it 3-2 — the kind of hustle I want to see more of.

It didn't last. MacKinnon struck again at 8:33 to make it 4-2, Nicolas Roy scrambled one home from the crease at 16:01 for a 5-2 lead, and the Kings were suddenly staring at a three-goal hole with the period winding down. Trevor Moore kept it from getting completely out of hand with a shorthanded goal of his own at 17:50 (two shorthanded goals in one period for LA — the penalty kill was doing more scoring than some lineups), but Artturi Lehkonen beat Darcy Kuemper again 44 seconds later to make it 6-3 after two.

The third period was mostly cleanup duty for Colorado. Artemi Panarin fired one through traffic with the extra attacker to cut it to 6-4, and for about three minutes you could squint and see a comeback. Gabriel Landeskog ended that idea at 14:03, and Lehkonen capped a two-goal night at 15:06 to make the final 8-4.

By the Numbers

Alex Laferriere led the Kings with two assists, Joel Armia had the lone King goal plus that shorthanded tally, and Darcy Kuemper got left out to dry, stopping 21 of 29 (.724 — rough night, Darce) in a game the Kings actually won on faceoffs (63.8% to 36.2%) and takeaways (7-3). LA matched Colorado in blocked shots (15 apiece) and came close in hits (17 to 19). None of it matters when you're 0-for-4 on the man advantage and giving up four power-play goals the other way.

Colorado's three stars were all Colorado, because of course they were: Nathan MacKinnon (2 goals), Brock Nelson (1 goal, 2 assists), Artturi Lehkonen (2 goals). Also, Brandt Clarke dropped the gloves with Nathan MacKinnon in the third period at 13:20 — and look, I respect a young King standing up for his team on a night that was already going sideways.

Look, it's one game. One bad special-teams night in Denver in September doesn't define a season. The Kings are back at it Saturday, October 3rd, on the road at the San Jose Sharks, and I'll be right here in my lawn chair expecting better on the power play. Go Kings.