Kings in danger of being swept after third straight loss to Avalanche
LA Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin (2) battles for position with Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) during an NHL game on April 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. The Los Angeles Kings are learning in real time just how hard it can be to beat the Colorado Avalanche this season. After playing arguably their two best periods of the series to open the game, the Kings struggled with puck possession and pace control in the third period, ultimately suffering a 4-2 loss.
Unable to get a much-needed win for momentum in the series, they instead find themselves in a 3-0 series deficit against the Presidents’ Trophy winners. “I thought we got away from the game plan, the way we want to play, which is play fast, play north, play physical,” Kings interim head coach D. J.
Smith said. “I thought we started to build in and started to play slow. And that plays into their hands.
” The Kings now face an extremely difficult uphill battle, needing to not only win four games in a row but do so against perhaps the NHL’s best team. “Just one game at home. Must win game,” said defenseman Drew Doughty, who was a member of the 2014 Kings team which remains the most recent team to overcome a 3-0 hole in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Everyone’s going to give everything they got and [we] gotta win that one, and then hopefully get to go back to Denver. ” If the Kings are going to pull off the miracle comeback, they’ll need to find more offense. They have scored just four goals through three games, and only one of them came at even strength.