The Avalanche lost to the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday. Colorado's Brock Nelson scored the 300th and 301st goals of his career while Valeri Nichushkin and Sam Malinski each added tallies for the Avs. Los Angeles' Quinton Byfield opened the scoring at 4:03 of the first period with a wrist shot from the slot.

Fiala scores two goals and Byfield and Laferriere notch a goal and two assists each in a 5-4 win, now four points ahead of Edmonton for second in the Pacific.

As we see more NHL playoff-clinching scenarios unfold, the Colorado Avalanche have largely been in a holding pattern for the last two weeks. They’ll play the Dallas Stars in the first round, a collision of titans who could and should challenge for the Stanley Cup.