Denver: Anze Kopitar became the first Kings player with a four-goal game since 1993, Jonathan Quick stopped 29 shots and Los Angeles picked up another valuable road win by cruising past the Colorado Avalanche 7-1 on Thursday night.
Kopitar was so efficient that he picked up his fourth career hat trick with 7:33 remaining in the second period. He added another goal early in the third. This was the first four-goal game by a Kings player since Luc Robitaille accomplished the feat on November 25, 1993, at Quebec.
Tobias Rieder had two goals and Jake Muzzin scored his first goal since February 3 for the Kings, who surpassed Anaheim for the third spot in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles improved to 6-0-2 over their last eight road games.
Quick allowed an early goal to Mikko Rantanen and was stellar after that in a game that had a playoff feel. Well, at least early, before the Kings reeled off seven unanswered goals.
The Kings beat an Avalanche team who are 15-3-1 in their last 19 games on home ice. Colorado remain in a wildcard spot with eight games remaining.
Semyon Varlamov showed signs of fatigue in giving up five goals before being replaced by backup Jonathan Bernier in the second period. Varlamov has appeared in 19 straight games (16 starts) with Bernier sidelined by a concussion. Bernier returned Thursday and allowed two goals.
It’s the third time this season the Avs have allowed seven goals.
Trailing 3-1, Nathan MacKinnon clanged one off the crossbar seconds into the second period. Moments later, Rieder found himself on a breakaway and beat Varlamov with a wrist shot. That all but wrapped things up.
