NHL Season 3 Episode 2 Avalanche vs Kings

As the NHL season rolls on, we head to the Staples Center in Los Angeles for an exciting match-up between two Western Conference rivals. In episode 2 of season 3, the Colorado Avalanche travel to face off against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Avalanche come into this game as one of the hottest teams in the league. Led by superstar center Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado has been tearing up the score sheet and winning games left and right. Meanwhile, the Kings have had a bit more of a tumultuous start to the season. Despite having some solid talent on their roster, they've struggled to find consistency and win games on a regular basis.

From the opening faceoff, it's clear that this game is going to be a physical battle. Both teams come out hitting hard, looking to set the tone early on. But it's the Avalanche who strike first, as MacKinnon shows off his speed and skill to put one past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.

Los Angeles doesn't take long to respond, however. A few minutes later, center Anze Kopitar muscles his way through the Colorado defense to tie the game up at one apiece.

The rest of the first period is a back-and-forth affair, with both teams getting their fair share of chances. But it's the Avalanche who manage to capitalize, as winger Mikko Rantanen scores a power play goal with just seconds remaining to give Colorado a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.

The second period sees more of the same physical play and trading of chances. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty takes a hard hit from Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog, sparking a minor scrum between the two teams. But despite the chippiness, neither team is able to find the back of the net in the middle frame.

Heading into the third period, the Kings know they need to find a way to get a goal if they want to salvage a point from this game. But the Avalanche defense stands tall, shutting down Los Angeles' offensive attacks time and time again.

With under 5 minutes to go in the game, the Kings finally get a break. Colorado defenseman Cale Makar takes an ill-timed penalty, giving Los Angeles a power play opportunity. The Kings pull Quick from the net to create a 6-on-4 advantage, and it pays off as Kopitar scores his second goal of the game to tie things up at 2-2.

The final minutes of regulation see both teams push for a game-winning goal, but neither are able to find the back of the net. The game heads to overtime, where the Avalanche look to continue their hot streak and grab another win, while the Kings hope to salvage a point from a tough battle.

The overtime period is a nail-biter, with both teams trading chances and making big defensive plays. But it's the Avalanche who come out on top, as captain Gabriel Landeskog scores the game-winning goal off a beautiful feed from MacKinnon.

It's a hard-fought victory for the Avalanche, who continue to look like one of the top teams in the NHL. For the Kings, it's another tough loss, but they can take solace in the fact that they were able to push a powerhouse team to the limit.