Jets 4, Kings 1
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Defensemen Dustin Byfuglien and Paul Postma scored less than three minutes apart on nearly identical point shots early in the third period to power the Winnipeg Jets to an improbable 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Only 15 seconds into the final frame and the game tied 1-1, Byfuglien's hard drive from just inside the blue line near the wall eluded goaltender Jonathan Quick, whose view of the shot might have been blocked when right winger Nikolaj Ehlers cruised in front of him.
Postma picked up the puck at almost the same spot, spun and hammered a slap shot that beat Quick low to the stick side at 2:54 with right winger Blake Wheeler parked in front.
Wheeler and center Mark Scheifele registered assists on both goals, while right winger Drew Stafford scored his 20th goal of the season into an empty net for the Jets (31-37-6), who wrapped up a four-game home stand 2-1-1.
The Kings (44-25-5) failed to pick up a point on a three-game road trip that included losses to Nashville and Minnesota.
Winnipeg goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who posted his first shutout of the season Tuesday in a 2-0 victory over Vancouver, was just as brilliant against Los Angeles in a 33-save performance.
Quick turned aside 20 shots.
Kings center Anze Kopitar whipped in his 25th goal of the season midway through second period with the Jets killing a penalty to open the scoring.
Winnipeg center Adam Lowry tied the game at 18:20 of the period with his seventh goal of the season and second in as many games.
Pavelec was sharp in a first period totally dominated by the Kings, blocking all 14 shots fired his way.
In the second period, Pavelec kicked out his right leg to make a sensational stop on Kings forward Jeff Carter with a maze of bodies in front and the Jets killing a penalty. As fans were chanting “Pavi, Pavi,” Carter regained possession of the puck in the neutral zone and dropped it to Kopitar, who scored with a hard snap shot low to the blocker side at 9:25.
The Jets pulled even on some elbow grease by the trio of Lowry, Matt Halischuk and Chris Thorburn late in the middle frame. Cycling the puck down low, Halischuk fed Lowry parked in front and he fired a shot over Quick's glove hand at 18:20 to energize the Jets.
NOTES: Kings LW Tanner Pearson returned to the lineup Friday after missing Tuesday's game in Minnesota for personal reasons. Los Angeles sat out RW Kris Versteeg (lower body), C Vincent Lecavalier (undisclosed) and D Jamie McBain (healthy scratch). ... Winnipeg D Tyler Myers has been shelved for the rest of the season. He had knee surgery Thursday but also needs hip surgery that will require nearly five months of recovery time. The 26-year-old played all 73 games for Winnipeg this season, registering nine goals and 27 points. Winnipeg D Toby Enstrom also had knee surgery this week and is out for the season as well. RW Anthony Peluso (upper body), RW JC Lipon (upper body), C Mathieu Perreault (upper body), RW Scott Kosmachuk (healthy scratch) and C Chase De Leo (healthy scratch) did not dress. ... Los Angeles C Anze Kopitar (plus-32) entered Thursday's play leading the league in the plus/minus category. ... The teams meet once more this season -- the last day of the regular season, April 9 in L.A.