March 22 postgame notes

-With the win, Los Angeles improved to 68-50-12 all-time against the Colorado franchise, a record that includes a road mark of 29-31-4. The Kings are 19-7-3 against the Avalanche since the start of the 2009-10 season and 10-3-1 in their last 14 head-to-head meetings. These teams will conclude their season series on April 2 at Staples Center.

-The Kings improved to 20-17-6 against the Western Conference, 9-7-2 against the Central Division, 18-8 in games decided by three or more goals, 19-24-4 when their opponent scores first, 17-3-2 when leading after the first period, 24-2-1 when leading after the second period and 23-11-3 when outshooting their opponent this season.

-Anze Kopitar tied a franchise record by posting the 18th four-goal game in club history. Prior to Thursday, the last four-goal game was scored by Luc Robitaille on November 25, 1993, at Quebec. Those to have posted four-goal games: Kopitar, Robitaille (x2), Marcel Dionne (x3), Bernie Nicholls (x2), Mike Murphy (x2), Jimmy Carson, Brian MacLellan, Ian Turnbull, Dave Taylor, Charlie Simmer, Syl Apps, Jr., Butch Goring and Serge Bernier. Dionne’s second four-goal game was also recorded in Denver, coming on October 23, 1979 at McNichols Sports Arena against the Colorado Rockies. Murphy’s second was followed four days later at home versus Toronto.

-Kopitar, who increased his career scoring high to 86 points, recorded his third career 30-goal season and first since 2009-10, when he totaled 34. With 33 goals, he is one goal from tying his career-high. Per NHL Public Relations, the most points since Wayne Gretzky’s 130 points in 1993-94 were Ziggy Palffy’s 89 in 2000-01, Robitaille’s 88 in 2000-01, Robitaille’s 86, also in 1993-94, and Kopitar’s 86 in 2017-18. His 86 points tie him with Steven Stamkos for fourth in the NHL in scoring. He has points in 29 of his last 36 games, posting 16 goals and 42 assists over that span.

-Kopitar’s hat trick was the 189th hat trick in club history and his fourth career hat trick (also 10/22/09 vs DAL, 3/11/11 @ CBJ and 2/12/16 @ NYR). It was the second hat trick this season after Adrian Kempe’s hat trick on October 18 versus Montreal.

-With his game-winning goal, Jake Muzzin moved into a tie with Mark Hardy (seven game-winning goals) for sixth place on the list of all-time game-winning goals by a Kings defenseman.

-Jonathan Quick, who recorded a secondary assist on Tobias Rieder’s first goal, has assists in each of the last two games he has played.

-Drew Doughty was a plus-four for the third time this season (also 10/7/17, 4-1 W @ SJS; 10/26/18, 4-0 W @ MTL).

-With a three-for-three performance, Los Angeles’ penalty killing has killed off 23 of the last 24 shorthanded situations, dating back to the game versus Chicago on March 3. They have gone four consecutive games without allowing a power play goal.

-The Kings scored seven goals in a game for the first time since a 7-0 win at Toronto on November 8, 2016.

-Nikita Zadorov was credited with a game-high 15 hits. The two teams combined for 53 hits (24-LAK; 29-COL).

-Los Angeles attempted 48 shots (35 on goal, 3 blocked, 10 missed). Colorado attempted 51 shots (30 on goal, 11 blocked, 10 missed). Anze Kopitar led all skaters with seven shots on goal.

-The Kings won 27-of-59 faceoffs (46%). Adrian Kempe won 0-of-1, Anze Kopitar won 7-of-15, Nate Thompson won 6-of-12, Michael Amadio won 0-of-5, Tanner Pearson won 0-of-1, Torrey Mitchell won 4-of-8 and Jeff Carter won 10-of-17.

-Lead photo via Michael Martin/NHLI

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