GDT ***Los Angeles Kings @ Colorado Avalanche GDT Playoffs Round 1 Game 1 4/18/26 12:00pm on TNT & FanDuel SoCal***

[ICE24]

I don't believe defense was a problem yesterday. First goal was a puck deflection then off the goaltender, right down to Lek's stick. Doughty tried to tie him up, however, just missed his stick for the goal. Next goal was a mistake by not getting the puck deep and out of the neutral zone. A great team like the Avs don't need much room to take advantage of those mistakes.

The Kings held the Avs to 2 goals. When most probably believed 4 would be the minimum. The Kings are obviously going to have to take more chances to open up their offense, and that provides the Avs the opportunity to quickly counter them.

Overall, for a heavy underdog, the Kings held their own for the most part.

Kings in five and that's no jive.
Best,

 

[Statue4Deano]

Nice to see a coach who realizes the importance of not running your 3 lines and 4 dmen into the ground in a playoff game.

Kings 4th line did get caved in at times including a disastrous shift by Mallot but DJ knew when to shorten the bench to allow his best players to have something left in reserve at the end when they did make a push to finish the game.

Lots of good signs through 1 game and we’re watching a team that needs to build off the moral victories if they want to get out of the 1st round.

 

[Drum4Pigs]

I was frustrated before that 2nd Avs goal. The Kings had possession of the puck down low, behind their own net, with 3 players around it, and no Avs in sight. I don't remember who was on the ice, but the Kings player from behind the goal line did a soft pass towards the 2 Kings players that were a couple of feet in front of Forsberg. Neither of them saw the pass, an Avs player came in and took the puck. That possession turned into multiple shots on net, the puck finally coming out of the zone, but the Avs pushed right back in and scored the goal. That puck management was horrible and cost the Kings a 2 goal deficit.

I thought the Kings played a great game against the Avs overall, but there were a few plays like that where I literally threw my hands up in frustration, causing my wife to look up from her iPad and wonder what was going on. hahaha.

Gotta clean up the puck management a little bit and win Game 2. Then come home with that home ice advantage.

Let's go Kings!!!