Game 35 Recap: Kings play Scrooge, beat Avs in shoot out

At the start of the first, the game was all Avs
LA's first shot? Eight minutes had passed

Colorado had chances, oh yes they did
Many were at the hands of those skilled kids
O'Reilly, Duchene, MacKinnon, too
Spin, pass, shoot, doing what they do

The Kings had some bursts into the O-zone
But they were few. At center ice, they were owned
The frustration got the best of the home team
And Martinez sat for two at 14:18

Despite playing with five guys v four
Colorado didn't do much to alter the score
The kill sparked LA to attack like a wave
Kopitar forced Varly to make a big save

The Kings kept up their pressure, their strong game
In the waning minutes of that first frame
It gave the Avs' goalie his first real tests
As Kings tried to stuff the puck in his net

You could feel it coming as the bodies were jammed
All down in the crease, at rebounds sticks slammed
It started with a shot, hard from the blueline
As Doughty sent one towards Varly, plenty of time

Carter hit the rebound to get the first goal
Though the lead seemed more like something they stole
The Avs had outplayed the boys donning black
But a goal is a goal, and it was time to come back

The second period started where the first had left off
The ice was sure tilted, the Avs looking soft
It took less than five for the goal horn to blow
As Williams knocked one in, the red light aglow

The Avs gave the Kings their first PP of the game
As McGinn held a stick and had to feel shame
An almost goal caused some discombobulation
But the kill was a success, to the joy of Avs' nation

Some excitement as Pauly and Landy were stoned
Point blank by that new kid of the Kings, Martin Jones
Crazy how some offensive pressure down low
Causes a team to break rules stopping their foe

Stoll sat two minutes for tripping up Fatty
The Avalanche power play! Thanks, EJ & Matty
Duchene did a spin move to set up the shot
Erik Johnson, all alone, hit the corner. So hot.

The momentum then shifted back to Colorado
The hitting picked up, another PP set to go
But this time it was Barrie off to the box
Grand larceny by Varly, as fast as a fox

While the Kings got a ton more chances on net
The Avs stayed strong (winning my bet)
The end of the second, the score 2 to 1
The teams regrouping to start their third run

Hejda with an old fashioned hip check like Blake
Upended Williams, head over heels in his wake
Martinez got his stick up in McGinn's sweet face
Giving the Avs a chance to quiet the place

(Barrie walking the blueline, be still my heart)
The power play aggressive, a really good start
But the Kings killed it off, maintaining the lead
Stopping the Avs from making them bleed

Richards covered the puck with his big hand
And put Colorado again up a man
Big mistake for LA, Radar made them pay
With help from Duchene and the pass of the day

The game was tied up at two goals per team
(Texting my friends with LOLs to be mean)
The teams took their chances whenever they came
But both sides looked okay with an overtime game

And OT they got, five extra minutes to play
The Kings dominated at first to Roy's dismay
Still the Avs had their chances, don't you fret
Yet nobody scored, no pucks in the net

The shoot out it took to decide this thing
The first shooter up was Carter, a King
Varly said, "Nyet" with a kick of the pad
A toe save on Duchene made everyone sad

Kopitar cruised down the ice, head up high
He got one with a shot that could make you cry
PA took his time, but Jones shot him down
Do or die, so Varly stopped Brown

O'Reilly did his best but it wasn't enough
Jones went 8-0 with that puck that he stuffed
Final score was 3-2 with the Kings out on top
The Avs surely tried, San Jose the next stop

Santa's Top Elves

1. Duchene
2. Varlamov
3. Johnson

Honorable mentions: O'Reilly, Barrie

Stocking Stuffers

-  Barrie is on a career-high four-game point streak
- Stastny played in his 500th game
- O'Reilly and McGinn played in their 300th games

Next Chimney

Avs finish out the road trip in San Jose on Monday night.