Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Brayden McNabb had a goal and two assists to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 5-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
Kyle Clifford had a goal and an assist while Jake Muzzin, Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter all scored for the Kings, who have won three of four. Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots in the win.
"We knew this was a must-win and we're sure in a dogfight," said McNabb. "We played well as a group on the ice. So it's not just the line and we have to carry this in when we go to Vancouver."
Tyson Barrie and Alex Tanguay lit the lamp for the Avalanche, who had a three- game winning streak broken.
"We had to be desperate tonight," said Barrie. "We did a good job of hanging on in the third, but it wasn't enough. This one stings because the first two periods we just weren't any good."
Calvin Pickard was pulled in the first period after giving up three goals on eight shots, while Reto Berra turned aside 20-of-22 shots in relief.
Los Angeles drew first blood on the power play at 7:47 of the first as a shot by McNabb in the high slot was tipped twice with Gaborik getting credit for his 20th of the season.
Carter scored four minutes later as he swept home a Jordan Nolan pass in the slot for his 23rd of the season.
Barrie scored less than a minute later as he took a pass at the left point and flew down the wing before cutting to the slot and snapping it home. Los Angeles, though, got it back with 5:45 to play when McNabb's big blast found the back of the net.
The Kings took a 4-1 lead with 4:57 to play in the second as Clifford was able to poke in a rebound of a McNabb shot for his fifth of the season.
Colorado scored 8:27 into the third as Marc-Andre Cliche sent a short pass from the right side to the left where Tanguay pushed it in for his 18th of the season.
Los Angeles, though, got it back just 1:29 later as Muzzin one-timed a bank off the boards from the left point for his seventh of the season.
Game Notes
Los Angeles was 1-for-3 on the power play while Colorado went 0-for-3 ... Justin Williams had two assists for the Kings ... Colorado hosts New Jersey on Thursday ... Los Angeles plays at Vancouver on Thursday.
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