Surging Jets edge Kings in shootout
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The suddenly surging Winnipeg Jets defeated the struggling Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday at the MTS Centre.
Mark Scheifele scored the winning goal in the skills competition.
Winnipeg owned a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, but the Kings tied it up with just over seven minutes left as defenseman Tom Gilbert ripped a shot past Connor Hellebuyck after the Jets got caught running around in their own zone.
The victory is the Jets fourth in the past seven games (4-1-2) and improves their record to 8-7-2. Meanwhile, the Kings have now dropped three straight road games and fall to 7-8-1 on the season.
Hellebuyck was strong between the pipes, stopping 27 of 29 shots, including a third-period breakaway on Los Angeles sniper Jeff Carter.
Both teams entered the game tired, injury-riddled and a bit frustrated.
The Jets were coming off a disappointing 3-2 overtime loss in Colorado on Friday night, in which forward Nikolaj Ehlers fired a clearing attempt past a startled Michael Hutchinson and into his own net to give the Avalanche the extra point.
The Kings came to town with a sour taste in their mouths after letting a 1-0 lead slip away late in the third period in Ottawa on Friday night.
Los Angeles opened the scoring just over five minutes into the game when Tanner Pearson snapped a shot past Hellebuyck. It's a goal the young Jets' netminder would likely want back, although it appeared defenseman Dustin Byfuglien may have deflected it with his stick.
The tide would turn midway through the period when Kings forward Kyle Clifford rode Jets rookie Kyle Connor head-first into the boards and was given a five-minute boarding major. Connor was shaken up but would eventually return to the game.
Clifford's mistake in judgment would be a costly one.
Adam Lowry banged home a rebound off a Nic Petan shot to tie it up on the ensuing power play. Moments later, Marko Dano re-directed a sweet feed from defenseman Toby Enstrom for the 2-1 advantage.
Winnipeg entered the game with the 21st-ranked power play in the league, so a pair of timely goals was definitely a welcome boost to the club's fortunes.
NOTES: The Jets still have the NHL's top goal scorer in rookie LW Patrik Laine, who sniped 11 times in his first 16 games. C Mark Scheifele also sits atop the league scoring race with 10 goals, 10 assists so far this season. Both were held off the scoresheet Sunday. ... Kings C Anze Kopitar was injured against the Senators and is considered day-to-day. The same goes for G Jeff Zatkoff, who suffered a groin spasm during the Ottawa game. D Matt Greene was also scratched. ... The Kings recalled G Jack Campbell from their American Hockey League affiliate. ... The Jets were without D Tyler Myers, D Mark Stuart and F Alex Burmistrov, who are all day-to-day with injuries. ... The Jets called up C/LW Quinton Howden on Saturday from their AHL team. He made his hometown NHL debut on Sunday.