The Kings kicked off their five-game road trip on Friday night against the Central Division’s best Winnipeg Jets. Winning 2-1 in overtime, the Kings winning streak now sits at five games. It was a low scoring playoff feel at Canada Life Centre on Friday as the Kings proved yet again that they can win in any type of game this season.
The Kings thought they had an early 1-0 in the first period, but it was for not. A Jordan Spence one-timer from the point beat Eric Comrie, but the play was offsides entering the Jets zone, negating the goal. Shots favored the Kings 6-4 after 20 minutes with the game scoreless.
The Kings did take the lead early in the second period and this one stayed on the scoreboard. A high cycle in the offensive zone saw Adrian Kempe rip a point shot, followed by a slot deflection by Alex Turcotte ending up in the back of the net. Turcotte’s goal was the fifth of his season.
Into the third period and the Jets evened the score midway into the final 20-minute segment. Coming on the power play, the top power play in the NHL, Gabriel Vilardi found an open Mark Scheifele and the veteran forward evened the game. No offense would follow and into overtime the game went.
Coming just 1:14 into the 3-on-3 session, the Kings ended the game. Earning his second point of the game, Kempe used a 2-on-1 with Anze Kopitar as decoy and ripped a wrist shot past Comrie for the win. Kempe’s tally is his seventh career overtime winner and gives the Swede goals in four consecutive games. With an assist on the Kempe goal, Kopitar clinched his 19th consecutive 40-point season (12-28=40), the most in franchise history.
Darcy Kuemper earned his fourth straight victory, making 18 saves on 19 shots. Kuemper’s record improved to 12-2-5 on the season and 8-0-2 since returning to lineup from injury on December 7th.
