KINGS CLOSE OUT WITH WIN : KINGS 5, COLORADO 4.

Byline: Associated Press

The Kings weren't about to go through the motions in their season finale against the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings wanted to end the year with some pride, knowing they could play with a playoff team.

``I'm very proud of the way the guys battled when they very easily could have done otherwise,'' Kings coach Larry Robinson said after a 5-4 overtime victory over Colorado on Sunday night. ``To play the way we did and come up with a win against a pretty good hockey team is a good omen and a good way for us to start off next year.''

Yanic Perreault scored twice, including the game-winner at 4:12 of overtime.

``We played as if the game had meaning and it felt good to score that last goal,'' Perreault said. ``It is going to be a long summer not having gotten into the playoffs. This takes away some of the bad taste.''

Dimitri Khristich scored twice for the Kings, who finished at 3-5-3 in their final 11 games.

The Kings snapped a winning streak of the Pacific Division-champion Avalanche at four games.

Chris Simon had a pair of goals for the Avalanche, winners of nine of their past 13.

The Avalanche open the playoffs at home on Tuesday against Vancouver.

``I think a lot of the guys had other things on their minds other than the Los Angeles Kings,'' Colorado coach Marc Crawford said. ``I thought we didn't get it going until the third period.''

The Kings led 2-1 after one period and took only 1:30 to take a 1-0 lead. Patrick Roy stopped a slap shot by Sean O'Donnell, but Khristich knocked in a rebound.

Colorado tied the game on Simon's 15th at 6:06. Joe Sakic, who has 15 points in his past nine games, found Simon along the left boards and Simon sent a low drive past the glove of Kelly Hrudey.

Perreault stole the puck from Sandis Ozolinsh while the Kings were shorthanded, skated in alone into the Avalanche zone and beat Roy on the stick side at 19:06.