Mikko Rantanen's Hat Trick Propels Avalanche Past Kings

Avalanche's Mikko Rantanen scored a natural hat trick in the second period to lift Colorado past Los Angeles 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Rantanen's three goals came in a span of 4:46, giving the Avalanche a 4-1 lead. He completed the hat trick with a power-play goal at 16:42 of the second period. Nathan MacKinnon added a goal and an assist for Colorado, and Bowen Byram also scored. Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves for the Avalanche, who have won three of their last four games. Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings, who have lost three straight. Jonathan Quick made 31 saves.

The Avalanche took a 1-0 lead on MacKinnon's goal at 11:59 of the first period. MacKinnon took a pass from Rantanen and beat Quick with a wrist shot from the left circle.

The Kings tied it on Kopitar's goal at 1:23 of the second period. Kopitar took a pass from Kempe and beat Grubauer with a wrist shot from the slot.

Rantanen gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead at 11:56 of the second period. He took a pass from MacKinnon and beat Quick with a wrist shot from the left circle.

Rantanen made it 3-1 at 15:14 of the second period. He took a pass from Devon Toews and beat Quick with a wrist shot from the slot.

Rantanen completed the hat trick at 16:42 of the second period. He took a pass from Cale Makar and beat Quick with a wrist shot from the left circle.

Byram made it 5-1 at 12:39 of the third period. He took a pass from J.T. Compher and beat Quick with a wrist shot from the right circle.

Kempe scored a power-play goal at 17:03 of the third period to make it 5-2.