(My Sportsbook) - The Los Angeles Kings finally tasted defeat Thursday night when Peter Forsberg and the Colorado Avalanche picked up a 4-1 victory at the Staples Center.

It was the Avalanche who handed the Kings their last loss when they edged LA in a gritty seven-game first-round series a year ago. In fact it has been Colorado that has ended the Kings' last two campaigns with consecutive seven- game playoff victories.

"There has to be respect," LA coach Andy Murray told the Los Angeles Times. "We've fought tooth and nail for two straight years in a 14-game playoff series. Of course you respect the guy that's across from you, how hard he's battling you, because you know that if you don't bring your best effort, you might get beat."

Forsberg, who had been without a goal in his team's first two games, scored twice and added an assist in the triumph. It was Forsberg's first regular- season goal since March 11, 2001.

"You have to count Peter with the Jaromir Jagrs and Joe Sakics in this league," Kings captain and fellow Swede Mattias Norstrom told the Los Angeles Daily News. "He hurt us last year, and he is still hurting us."

The Kings, who had picked up wins against Phoenix, Anaheim and Detroit to open the campaign, were trying to start a season with four straight wins for the first time since 1988-99 when Wayne Gretzky led the charge in his first year with the club.

Los Angeles did not have all of its guns, however. Ziggy Palffy sat out the game with a groin strain and Bryan Smolinski left the contest in the first period. As a result Jason Allison was held without a shot.

"They were hungry," Kings goaltender Felix Potvin said of the Avalanche, who broke open a tight game with three goals in the last 13 1/2 minutes. "They outplayed us real bad in the first period, and it's always hard to get back into the game against those guys. I thought we battled, but we ran a little short at the end."

Eric Belanger continued his strong play to start the season and tallied his third goal in four games.

WHAT'S NEXT

After wrapping up a two-game homestand on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, the Kings embark on a five-game road trip with visits to Detroit, New York (Rangers), Columbus, Atlanta and Chicago.