Panarin's Power Play: Kings' Comeback Hope

0:00On April 23rd, the Los Angeles Kings are staring down a two-nothing deficit to the Colorado Avalanche in their Western Conference first-round series. But all eyes are an Artemis Penerin to light up the offense in Game 3. The 34-year-old forward has netted both of the King's power play goals so far, even after a tight one-two overtime loss in Denver. Now they head home to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday at 10pm, Eastern for a chance to flip the script. Penerin got traded from the New York Rangers back on February 4th, along with a fresh two-year, $22 million deal kicking in next season. That move came right as the Rangers started retooling their roster. Since joining the top line with Anzacopitar and Adrian Kempi, he's been a steady force, dropping 27 points in 26 regular season. Games to spark the attack. King's interim coach, DJ Smith, calls Penerin the guy who delivers every night, especially on the power play when he gets a clean shot.

1:02Teammates like Alex LaFaireier rave about his dynamic vision and puck control, saying it boosted their man advantage from near the bottom of the lead to middle of the pack. He's not just scoring, he's adding swagger and locker-room vibes too. With home ice, the Kings get last change for better matchups, dodging Colorado's top defensive pair of Kale McCarr and Devin Toes who shadowed them. Heavy and over time, Smith points to last playoffs against Edmonton, where home control let Kempi-Tar pick his spots and crave more chances. Penerin's late season tier, leading with 21 points in the final 20 games, shows he's built for this pressure. If they unleash those edges, expect Penerin's flair to ignite a comeback, turning this series into a real battle as the Kings push to even things up. That's your update from NHL News Today, powered by AI.