Devon Toews scored two goals and the Colorado Avalanche earned a 3-2 victory over the host Los Angeles Kings as they continue to get playoff-ready with their fifth victory in six games.
Cale Makar collected a goal and an assist for the second consecutive night in another win at Los Angeles as the second-place Avalanche pressed on in their late bid at a West Division title. They remain four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights, who beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1 on Saturday.
Colorado will have a chance to make one last charge for the division title when it plays at Las Vegas on Monday.
Andre Burakovsky logged two assists and goaltender Jonas Johansson made 16 saves as Colorado improved to 5-1-0 against the Kings this season. The teams will finish the regular season against each other with two games in Denver next week.
The Kings, who were eliminated from playoff consideration when they lost to the Avalanche on Friday, received a goal and an assist from Sean Walker plus a goal from Rasmus Kupari.
The Avalanche took a 1-0 lead 4:46 into the game when Toews picked up a loose puck in the Kings’ zone and scored off the left post, his eighth tally of the season.
Makar gave the Avalanche a 2-0 lead on the power play at 10:31 of the first period when he fired a shot from the deep slot through traffic for his eighth of the campaign.
The Kings answered at 13:58 of the opening period when Walker scored his fourth of the season off a pass from Gabriel Vilardi.
The Avalanche regained their two-goal lead midway through the second period when Toews scored again over the right shoulder of Kings goaltender Calvin Petersen, his ninth of the season. Makar recorded his 35th assist on the play.
Kupari scored his first career goal at 5:21 of the third period, in his fourth game.
Petersen had 27 saves in place of Jonathan Quick, who missed his third consecutive game due to an upper-body injury.
–Field Level Media