They’re Kings of Colorado

What the new NHL has done to the NHL was on display at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday night.

There were the Kings, hooting and hugging, looking ahead to what could be a bright future after a 5-3 victory that put them back in the Pacific Division lead. There was the Colorado Avalanche, heading in sloth-like pace to the dressing room after losing more luster off its winning reputation.

The Kings were able to fit quality players under the $39-million cap -- about $5-million under it in fact -- while the Avalanche had to shed talent, leaving it capped out and in eighth place. The Kings’ sixth victory in seven games was due, in part, to Commissioner Gary Bettman’s cost certainty.

Free agent Pavol Demitra scored two goals, one that will embarrass Avalanche goaltender David Aebischer every time it is aired, which probably will be often. Free agent Craig Conroy harassed Avalanche players and chipped in two assists. Michael Cammalleri extended his goal-scoring streak to four games.

The eighth-place Avalanche, meanwhile, was reminded again how good it was with Patrick Roy in net and Peter Forsberg was creating chaos.

“They are still a skilled team,” Conroy said. “Still, it used to be a nightmare coming into this place.... You have a chance to win here now. Before you didn’t. Whatever they needed, they could go out and spend and get. I don’t think anyone feels sorry for the Avalanche about it. That’s still a dangerous team.”

That may be, but the Kings have won two games in Denver, where they had won only twice before since the 1997-98 season. They also are 3-0 against the Avalanche and have won the season series for the first time since 1999-2000.

Demitra helped make that possible, scoring his goals after the Avalanche had cut the King lead to one. Goaltender Mathieu Garon kept the Avalanche at a distance, stopping 32 of 35 shots.

Still, Coach Andy Murray said, “We have to play a lot better than we played tonight.”

Which may be the biggest indication how times have changed in Denver. The Kings won despite being less than their best.

“Well, it’s a different team,” Luc Robitaille said. “There’s no Roy, no Forsberg, no Adam Foote.”

The Roy hole was particularly noticeable and the Kings made the most of that crevice.

In lieu of Roy, the Avalanche continued playing musical goalies, offering up 23-year-old Peter Budaj and Aebischer, the Switzerland-born heir apparent to Roywho is now being referred to as Swiss Cheese by Colorado media and fans.

Budaj lasted four shots, two of which where goals by Cammalleri and Lubomir Visnovsky. Aebischer was cheered when he entered 11:05 into the game and booed as he skated off at the end of the first period.

The fans’ swing came after Brett McLean cut the Kings’ 2-0 lead in half with a minute left in the period. Demitra flipped a shot that hit the skate of Colorado’s Brett Clark just inside the blue line and slowly rolled on net.

Aebischer needed merely to fall down in the crease. Instead, he slipped and flailed and watched as the puck rolled under his body and into the net with 22 seconds left.

“I just tried to put the puck in [the zone] and it hit somebody,” Demitra said.

“It went left, then right. It was the weirdest goal I have ever scored.”

His second goal, which gave the Kings a 4-2 lead 13 minutes into the second period, was more standard issue. Demitra entered the Avalanche zone and rocketed a shot so hard that it glanced off the crossbar, then in and out of the net so fast that it was waved off initially by referees. It was overturned on replay.

It gave Demitra seven goals in the three games against the Avalanche.

“I like playing those guys,” Demitra said.

So, now, do the Kings.