Brad Hunt and Alex Newhook also scored, Alexandar Georgiev made 37 saves and the Avalanche kept pace with Dallas for first place in the Central Division and still have a game in hand. It was their ninth straight road victory, matching the longest streak in team history.

Adrian Kempe had two goals, Viktor Arvidsson scored on the power play, and the Kings dropped their third straight game since wrapping up a playoff spot. Pheonix Copley made 19 saves.

Colorado has managed to thrive this season in spite of myriad injures, and that trend continued when Hunt — taking the place of an ill Bowen Byram — scored off Lars Eller’s faceoff win early in the third period to go up 3-2.

Malgin got his second goal on a back post tap in set up by Valeri Nichushkin for a 4-2 lead, but Kempe notched his second 26 seconds later to cut it to 4-3.

The Avalanche didn’t muster much in the first period, getting outshot 18-4, but took advantage of an unexpected bounce to get on the board first when Malgin’s shot sailed off the glass and off the top netting to go in off Copley 1:28 into the second.

Newhook then scored on a breakaway one minute and two seconds later for a 2-0 advantage, but the Kings responded with Kempe’s 37th goal of the season and a power-play tally by Arvidsson that deflected in off Devon Toews’ skate.

Notes: The Kings will start the postseason on the road as they can no longer catch Vegas or Edmonton for the top two spots in the Pacific. … Kings captain Anze Kopitar had three assists for his eighth 70-point season, third most in team history trailing Marcel Dionne’s 12 such campaigns and Luc Robitaille’s 11.

Up next for the Kings: Host Vancouver on Monday night.