Kings close out preseason with win over Ducks

LOS ANGELES -- The next time the Los Angeles Kings take the ice, points will be on the line.

When Los Angeles travels to Colorado to face the Avalanche in the season opener on Wednesday night, it will mark the first time in 20 years that franchise icon Anze Kopitar , who scored 452 goals and collected 864 assists across 1,521 regular season games, will not suit up in the Black and Silver.

"He's a Hall of Famer, obviously, so it's tough shoes to fill," Alex Turcotte said.

Los Angeles closed out its fourth and final preseason game Saturday afternoon, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 at Crypto.com Arena behind a balanced offensive performance.

"That's the way you want to finish the preseason," Turcotte said. "We're looking forward to Colorado."

The opening period featured a back-and-forth affair, with Anaheim and Los Angeles each finding the back of the net twice. After Beckett Sennecke 's power-play goal gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead, Adrian Kempe evened the score with less than a minute remaining in the period, redirecting a pass from defenseman Brian Dumoulin underneath Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal 's pad.

Kempe, who led the Kings in points last season with 73, liked what he saw from his team in the preseason finale.

"Offensively, defensively, everything was pretty solid tonight," Kempe said. "I think that's as good as you can get in the preseason."

Mats Zuccarello , the newest member of the Kings, put Los Angeles ahead early in the second period, burying a power-play goal off an assist from Artemi Panarin to give Los Angeles a 3-2 lead. The 39-year-old signed a one-year deal with Los Angeles in July after spending the previous seven seasons with the Minnesota Wild and could prove to be a crucial component to LA's power-play attack this season.

"He's (Zuccarello) so smart, Kempe said. "[It's] been impressive to watch him."

Los Angeles' power play was a major source of frustration last season, finishing in the bottom five of the NHL at 17.0%. If Saturday's performance is any indication, there could be reason for optimism.

Los Angeles converted twice on the man advantage against Anaheim, with Zuccarello and Erik Haula converting to help fuel the victory. After averaging just 2.68 goals per game last season, fourth-fewest in the NHL, consistent production from a top unit featuring Brandt Clarke , Quinton Byfield , Panarin, Kempe and Zuccarello could provide a significant boost to the Kings' offense.

Leading by one entering the third, the Kings took control with the help of strong period from the 25-year-old Turcotte. The center doubled the LA lead by tipping a Drew Doughty shot past Dostal before sniping a second goal top shelf to extend the lead to three.

"He's worked really hard to show what he can do," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's always been a highly skilled player."

Wednesday will mark the start of a new era for the Kings, with Peter Laviolette making his debut behind the Los Angeles bench. The 61-year-old becomes the 32nd head coach in franchise history and the seventh NHL franchise he has led as he enters his 24th year in the league.

Laviolette brings a wealth of experience to a Kings team entering unfamiliar territory without franchise icon Anze Kopitar. His 1,594 regular-season games as an NHL head coach rank ninth in league history, while his 846 wins rank sixth all time. Laviolette also has a Stanley Cup title on his résumé, guiding the Carolina Hurricanes to the championship in 2006. As Los Angeles turns the page, that experience could prove valuable as the Kings begin life in a post-Kopitar era.

Kopitar's presence in the Kings' locker room will undoubtedly be missed, leaving Los Angeles with the challenge of filling the leadership void left by its captain of 10 seasons. Fortunately for Los Angeles, the organization has another longtime cornerstone in Drew Doughty, who enters his 19th season with the Kings. The veteran defenseman was named the 15th captain in franchise history on Sept. 16

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Doughty will look to carry that experience into his new role as Los Angeles pursues a sixth consecutive playoff appearance. The Kings have failed to advance past the opening round of the playoffs since their improbable 2014 Stanley Cup run, putting Doughty and a new-look Los Angeles team in position to push the franchise beyond its recent postseason struggles.

Los Angeles opens the regular season Wednesday on the road against the Colorado Avalanche , the team that swept the Kings in the opening round of last season's playoffs.

The matchup marks the second consecutive season the Kings and Avalanche have met in the season opener. The meeting sets the stage for an early test for Los Angeles as it begins a new era under Laviolette.