Key play: Nathan MacKinnon scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 4-3 victory Wednesday over the Kings at Staples Center. MacKinnon scored just after an Avalanche power play expired.

Pivotal performer: Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog scored two goals to help Colorado rally from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2. His second goal, a power-play strike on a 4-on-3, tied the score at 3-all at 7:38 of the third period.

Quote, unquote: “I think our first was strong, pretty slow to start the second, got a little better maybe the last five minutes or so and the third wasn’t very good at all,” said Kings winger Dwight King, who had a goal and an assist. “It was one of those things where we’ve got to be a lot sharper.”

Milestone moment: Drew Doughty scored the first shorthanded goal of his career in the first period and the first by a Kings defenseman since Willie Mitchell on Oct. 28, 2010 against the Dallas Stars. Doughty’s goal gave the Kings a 1-0 lead 9:31 into the game.

Between the pipes: Jonathan Quick returned to the Kings’ net after Jhonas Enroth started in a 3-2 overtime victory Sunday over the San Jose Sharks. Quick appeared Wednesday in his 41 st game of the season. Enroth has played in only nine of 49 games.