NHL: Los Angeles 3, Colorado 1

DENVER, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Scott Thornton scored the game-winner in a three-goal third period Saturday to give the Los Angeles Kings a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Colorado held a 1-0 lead when the period started, courtesy of Jordan Leopold's second goal of the season at 12:35 of the first.

Derek Armstrong's third goal of the campaign at 10:13 of the third tied the contest 1-1.

Thornton scored 77 second later to put Los Angeles in front for good, while Anze Kopitar's 16th goal went into an empty net with less than a minute left.

Net-minder Jean-Sebastien Aubin turned away 29 of 30 shots for the Kings, who snapped an eight-game losing streak.

Jose Theodore stopped 20 of 22 shots for the Avalanche, who took 13 shots on goal in the first period but suffered their second straight loss.

On the power play, both clubs went 0 for 2.