Kings Face Must-Win Playoff Game Against Avalanche as Kopitar’s Career Hangs in Balance

As Anze Kopitar stepped off the ice after his final regular-season home game, he bid farewell to the fans, promising a return for the playoffs. That moment arrives Thursday when the Los Angeles Kings host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series at Crypto.com Arena. However, the stakes couldn’t be higher; after dropping the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Denver, the Kings must win either Thursday or in Game 4 on Sunday to keep their season and Kopitar’s illustrious career alive.

The Kings and Kopitar have faced a frustrating trend in recent years, with their last six playoff appearances ending in the first round. They find themselves on the brink of another early exit this season, despite their strong performances against the league’s top team. The Kings have pushed the Avalanche to the limit, losing both contests by a single goal, including a heartbreaking 2-1 overtime defeat in Game 2.

“To a man, we’re playing hard,” interim Kings coach D.J. Smith said. “We hoped to split here, but regardless, we’re gonna have to win at home. We’ve got to find a way to win a game. Clearly, good isn’t enough.”

Kopitar announced his retirement before the season, marking his 20th year in the league. While teammates expressed their desire to see their captain lift the Stanley Cup one last time, making the playoffs seemed a far-off dream until a late-season surge secured their spot as the final wild-card team.

On the other side, the Avalanche have dominated the league, finishing with the most wins, points, goals scored, and fewest goals allowed. The Kings, in contrast, struggled throughout the season, allowing 22 more goals than they scored, the worst among playoff teams. They needed points in 11 of their last 13 games just to make it to the postseason.

Yet, despite the disparity in regular-season records, the Kings have matched the Avalanche’s intensity on the ice. They’ve out-hustled, out-hit, and out-skated their opponents for significant stretches, but moral victories have not translated into wins.

Goaltender Anton Forsberg, who has shone in his first two playoff games, was blunt about the team’s situation. “No,” he replied when asked if he found solace in their performance. “We wanted to go home with a win.” Forward Trevor Moore offered a slightly brighter perspective, saying, “We would have liked to steal one. But you can’t look back. You have to look forward. Confidence-wise, we hung in there with them for two games and we’ve been competitive. I think we could have won either night.”

Despite their efforts, the Kings have left themselves with little room for error. In both games in Denver, they had numerous opportunities, including five power plays and a penalty shot. However, they failed to convert, with Quinton Byfield’s penalty shot thwarted by Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, leading to a chaotic moment when the protective Plexiglass behind the Kings’ bench collapsed under the excitement of Avalanche fans.

“Whoever the guy [was] just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith said, recounting the moment. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, then it broke.”

The Kings finally found the back of the net late in Game 2, with Artemi Panarin scoring to give them their first lead of the series. “We had every opportunity,” Smith noted. “You’ve got to be able to close it out.” Unfortunately, they couldn’t hold on, as Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog equalized just three and a half minutes later, sending the game into overtime.

The overtime period marked the Kings’ 34th of the season, an NHL record, but it ended in disappointment as Nicolas Roy scored the game-winner for Colorado just past the halfway mark. “We had some good looks. I thought we really had the momentum in overtime,” Smith reflected. “Maybe a bad bounce or a turnover, whatever, it ends up in your net. But to a man, this team is playing hard, and we’ve got to find a way to win. I expect that we’ll be better at home.”

If the Kings can’t turn their performance into results, they risk facing another long summer, and Kopitar’s retirement could come sooner than he envisioned.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.