adrian kempe

The Colorado Avalanche rode swagger, poise and the league’s stingiest goaltender to the best record in the NHL this season. And nothing about that formula has changed in the postseason, with goals from Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar, Artturi Lehkonen and Brock Nelson giving Colorado a 4-2 win Thursday over the Kings and a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

The Kings, who have lost their last six first-round playoff series, need a victory at home Sunday to extend their season. Their goals in Game 3 came from Trevor Moore in the second period and Adrian Kempe on a third-period power play.

“They’re best team in the league for a reason. But we’re right there,” forward Quinton Byfield said. “We’re a confident group.”

“One game at home. Must-win game,” defenseman Drew Doughty added. “Everyone’s going to give everything they’ve got. We’ve got to win that one, and then hopefully get to go back to Denver.”

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews celebrates a goal by defenseman Cale Makar on Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg during the second period of Game 3 Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The difference in the series has been Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood, who was nearly perfect again, making 24 saves to place the Kings 60 minutes away from the offseason.

Anton Forsberg, playing in the postseason for the first time, has been almost as good in goal for the Kings, though he was victimized by two fluke goals and an empty-netter.

“Both goalies in the series have been unbelievable,” Kings coach D.J. Smith said. “Give Wedgewood credit. This guy looks like he’s putting his name on the circuit as a big-time goalie.”

The Avalanche, who certainly haven’t needed many lucky breaks in this series, got one early in the first period when Landeskog spun and launched a wild wrister from the blue line that went well wide of the net, only to have the puck carom off the end boards and into the net off Forsberg’s right skate blade.

The goal was the second in as many games for the Colorado captain.

The Kings then got their own break six minutes into the second period when Alex Laferriere jumped Brett Kulak’s clearing pass in the neutral jump and fed Byfield, whose pass into the crease struck Moore’s leg and ricocheted past Wedgewood to tie the score.

Colorado defenseman Devon Toews reaches for the puck against Kings right wing Quinton Byfield in the first period.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Colorado needed less than seven minutes to get the lead back, with Makar getting the puck along the boards on the left wing, skating into space at the point, then zipping a wrist shot through heavy traffic and just under the crossbar.

The Avalanche then increased the advantage 7:39 in the final period after Kempe fanned a shot from the point. Lehkonen collected the loose puck and took it the length of the ice before deflecting a centering pass off Kempe’s skate and by Forsberg for a short-handed goal, his second score of the series.

That appeared to put the game away, but after the Kings pulled Forsberg for an extra attacker, Kempe halved the deficit on a tip-in with 4:02 to play. But then Nelson forced a turnover and scored into the empty net with 2:18 left.

The six goals combined matched the total number from the first two games in Colorado.

“We’ve got to keep doing a lot of the things that we are doing,” Doughty said. “Obviously, we got to clean up giving up some of these chances that we’re giving up.”

Kings goalie Anton Forsberg covers the puck as Colorado left wing Gabriel Landeskog battles for it in the second period.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Kings’ penalty kill, which ranked 30th in the 32-team league during the regular season, has been brilliant against the Avalanche, turning back all nine Colorado power plays. That, plus stellar play for Forsberg in goal, has frustrated the NHL’s top-scoring team.

But against Wedgewood, the Kings have mustered little offense, scoring just four goals in the series — three times on the power play and once off Moore’s leg.

“We’d like to get more than two goals. Against this team, I don’t think it’s enough,” Doughty said. “I don’t think we’re creating enough grade-A chances on Wedgewood. He has played well, so for us to beat them, we’ve got to wear them down in the D-zone, make them tired and score goals that way. And we haven’t done that enough.”

They’re guaranteed just one more chance to turn that around.

“There’s no quit in there,” Smith said of the Kings’ locker room. “And I think you’ll see our best game. To a man, we want to give them a real good outing and push this series back to Colorado.”

Jake DeBrusk scored his second goal of the game in overtime and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Kings 4-3 on Tuesday night.

DeBrusk collected a pass from center Elias Pettersson and tapped a shot in to seal the victory 2:58 into the extra period.

Defenseman Elias Pettersson opened the scoring for the Canucks, and DeBrusk and Zeev Buium added goals in the second period. Elias Pettersson had two assists. The Canucks won their third straight game for the first time since Dec. 14-20, when they took four straight road victories.

Kevin Lankinen stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced as Vancouver improved to 9-27-5 on home ice this season.

Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere each had a goal and an assist for the Kings. Adrian Kempe scored his 36th of the season and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves.

DeBrusk scored for a third straight game. His three goals across the stretch came on the power play. The 29-year-old winger has scored 19 of his 23 goals with the man advantage this season.

Anze Kopitar played his final game at Rogers Arena and registered an assist on Kempe’s second-period goal. He has 864 assists, all with L.A. That ranks third among active players with a single franchise, trailing only the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin (874) and Sidney Crosby (1,107).

The Kings have secured a playoff berth and remain in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot with one game remaining.

The Kings had their five-game winning streak halted, but they did earn a point for the eighth straight game (6-0-2).

Adrian Kempe had two goals, and the Kings moved into a playoff spot with a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena

Joel Armia and Trevor Moore also scored, Anton Forsberg made 24 saves, and the Kings’ third straight win put them one point ahead of the Nashville Predators for the second Western Conference wild card with a game in hand.

The Kings came into the night already controlling its path to the postseason, and Nashville’s 4-1 loss at Utah on Thursday created breathing room.

Marcus Pettersson scored and Nikita Tolopilo made 22 saves for the Canucks, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games.

The Kings started strong for the second consecutive game, with Kempe opening the scoring after 1:29 by getting to the slot and burying Brandt Clarke’s centering pass. After Pettersson tied it late in the first, Armia needed just 1:31 to put the Kings back up.

Kempe netted his second goal with 28.2 seconds left in the middle period by redirecting Joel Edmundson’s slap shot for a 3-1 lead. Kempe has been the main offensive catalyst during the Kings’ five-game point streak, collecting seven goals and two assists in that span with three multigoal efforts.

The switch to Forsberg in net is also paying dividends, as he has won three straight starts while allowing four goals total.

The Kings had played four straight games decided in overtime or a shootout, setting an NHL single-season record for games going past regulation along the way, but Moore ensured there would be no chance of extra hockey with his goal midway through the third period.

Up next for the Kings: vs. Edmonton at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.

Quinton Byfield scored 2:33 into overtime, Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists, and the Kings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-6 on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.

Byfield finished off Artemi Panarin’s pass for his second goal of the game, securing a crucial win for the Kings, who set an NHL single-season record by playing their 31st game past regulation.

William Nylander missed his shot on a breakaway, leading to a three-on-two rush the other way where Byfield netted his 20th goal of the season.

With the win, the Kings moved into the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference before San José and Nashville played each other later Saturday night.

Panarin, Samuel Helenius and Alex Laferriere also scored for the Kings, and Darcy Kuemper made 14 saves.

Matthew Knies had two goals, and John Tavares, Easton Cowan, Steven Lorentz and Nicholas Robertson also scored for the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll made 33 saves.

The Kings came into the game stressing a good start, having been outscored 5-1 in the first period of their previous three outings, and instead face planted to spot the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes.

The Kings bounced back in the second period with three goals and tied the score twice, only for Cowan to capitalize on the power play with 12.5 seconds remaining to put Toronto back up 4-3 after two.

Kempe, Helenius and Laferriere all scored in the third period in a span of 1:36 to give the Kings a 6-4 lead, but Robertson and Knies responded to send Kings into extra hockey yet again.

The Kings have already set an NHL record with 19 losses in overtime or a shootout.

Trevor Moore scored 1:56 into overtime to lift the Kings to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.

Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who moved into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference — one point ahead of San José and Nashville. Anton Forsberg made 23 saves, including one in overtime, for the Kings, who stopped a four-game losing streak at home.

Robert Thomas scored the only goal for the Blues on a deflection with 3:53 left in the third period to send it to overtime. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots in the loss, including two in the extra period. St. Louis is four points behind the Kings for the second wild-card spot.

Moore sped up the right side, outskated Jonatan Berggren, centered the puck and snapped a shot past Binnington for the victory. Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty assisted on the goal.

With the Kings leading 1-0, Thomas went to the front of the net and Philip Broberg’s shot deflected off Thomas’ skate and past Forsberg to tie it.

After a scoreless first period, Jared Wright nearly put the Kings ahead midway through the second, but his goal was waved off for goaltender interference.

The Kings got one that counted on Kempe’s power-play goal on a wrister with 3:01 left in the second period to put them up 1-0.

Up next for the Kings: vs. Nashville at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.

There is bad news and good news to report on the Kings’ push for a fifth straight playoff berth.

First, the bad.

With a chance to move into a playoff position Saturday, the Kings came out flat and were routed 6-2 by the Utah Mammoth at Crypto.com Arena, leaving them a point out of postseason position.

It was the Kings’ most one-sided loss in more than a month, not exactly the way it wanted to start its final sprint to the postseason. And that left coach D.J. Smith with more questions than answers with nine games left in the season.

“We were not sharp in any facet of the game. It’s not good enough,” said Smith, after Utah scored two goals on the power play and three in transition.

“We’re going to ask ourselves why. Why we weren’t ready. What didn’t we do? The excuses really don’t matter. We’ve got to be way better than we were tonight.”

But wait, it gets worse.

Saturday’s game was also the first of a seven-game homestand, matching the Kings’ longest in 15 years. But that’s not the advantage it would appear to be since only the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers have been worse at home than the Kings this season.

“I don’t know what it is,” Smith said. “Last year we couldn’t lose here. Right now, we don’t lose very much on the road. That’s in your head. People say it’s luck. You make your own luck.

“We didn’t come ready to play today. And whether it’s our building or the road or wherever we played this game, that isn’t good enough.”

The Kings are also bucking history since 18 of their losses have come in either overtime or a shootout. Just one team — the 2012 Florida Panthers — have lost that many games after regulation and made the playoffs since the shootout was adopted 21 years ago.

Kings forward Quinton Byfield tries to shoot in front of Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt during the second period Saturday.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

If the Kings had won just half those overtime games, they’d be a point back of the Pacific Division-leading Ducks. Instead, they appear to be going backward at the worst possible time, dropping seven of their last 10 games and nine of 14 since Smith replaced Jim Hiller behind the bench.

And suddenly there’s traffic in their rear-view mirror, with four teams bunched no more than three points behind them in the Western Conference standings.

Despite all that, the Kings took the ice against Utah with a chance to control their own playoff destiny, only to play with little urgency, falling behind for good 2½ minutes after the opening faceoff on the first of two goals by fourth-line winger Alexander Kerfoot.

Kerfoot entered with three goals on the season and nearly doubled that in two periods against the Kings. For a team with everything to play for, the Kings looked distracted and disinterested.

“I don’t know what it was,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “There’s no excuses for the way we performed.”

Now for the good news — and there is some.

Despite the loss, the Kings are still just a point out of the second wild-card berth — with two of their final six regular-season home games coming against Nashville, the team that currently owns that final playoff berth. Win those two, and the Kings are back in the driver’s seat.

“We’re still in the thick of things,” said captain Anze Kopitar, whose career ends when the Kings’ season does. “We’re not out by any means. But we’re going to have to play much better.”

Added Doughty: “Take it one [game] at a time and win every one.”

A wild-card is no longer the Kings’ only — or even clearest — path to the postseason, however. The Vegas Golden Knights, the team directly ahead of the Kings in the Pacific Division standings, have lost six of their last 10, whittling their lead to four points over the Kings in the battle for the division’s third and final postseason berth.

Pass them and the Kings will likely face the Edmonton Oilers — again — in the first round of the playoffs. The opportunities are there for the taking. But the Kings need to play like they want them.

“We’ve got three days to figure it out, and then we’ve got nine games [left],” Smith said. “We’re going to turn the page and find a way to be better for the next one. It’s got to be a playoff mentality.

“You can’t dwell on it. You’ve got to move on. But you’ve got to get better and you have to learn from why we lost the way we lost tonight.”