Jets allow three power-play goals in loss to Kings

LOS ANGELES, CA - Mathieu Perreault and Patrik Laine scored to give the Jets a 2-1 lead after one, but the Kings roared back with four unanswered goals - including three on the power play - to take a 5-2 victory.

"It was 2-2 after two periods in a tough building against a tough team. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win, but we just got into penalty trouble," Blake Wheeler said.
"We didn't do a good enough job getting into shot lanes. We were out of synch, running around a bit too much, and they were composed and took the shots when they got them. We just weren't able to get in front of them."

Marian Gaborik broke a 2-2 tie, 2:01 into the third to open the floodgates. With Josh Morrissey off serving a hooking penalty, Gaborik took a pass and curled off the near wall, walked in and fired a shot far side, under the glove, to give the Kings their first lead of the night.
Another PPG - the Kings' third of the night - sealed the win just 1:56 later, as Drew Doughty hammered a one-timer from the top of the zone clean past Hellebuyck to give the home side a two-goal cushion.
Tanner Pearson scored shorthanded to round out the offence at 9:21.
Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves.
With the loss, the Jets' winning streak is halted at three.
"We've talked about (discipline) all year," Perreault said. "Obviously our PK has struggled and if you're in the box a lot, it's definitely not helping the team. We've got to stay out of the box if we want to have any chance of winning games."
The Jets were the better team in the opening 20, scoring twice and taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission, but the Kings - who were fighting for their playoff lives - took over the game with a dominant middle frame.
Finally, after more than 15 minutes buzzing around the Winnipeg net, they hit pay dirt.
With Jeff Carter supplying the screen in front, Jake Muzzin filtered one through from the left point, beating Hellebuyck clean on the glove side as he battled to find the puck through traffic.
The goal came at 16:05, tying the game at two after the Kings doubled up the Jets on the shot clock (16-8). Hellebuyck was excellent, keeping his team in the game with a number of big saves late to preserve the tie after 40 minutes of play.
"It's 2-2 going into the third and you've battled fairly hard on the road, but we got into the box and that was the end of it," said Head Coach Paul Maurice.
"We've got to find someone to get in front of a shooting lane."

The Jets opened the scoring at 6:54 of the first, after recording four of the first five shots of the game. Brian Strait did a great job getting the puck through a simple wrister from the far point, and Perreault - stationed in front - got a piece of it en route, tipping it over the right pad of Ben Bishop to score his 10th of the year.
Perreault, who had a bit of a slow start to the season, added an assist later in the period, and is Winnipeg's hottest player with 18 points (6G, 12A) in his last 15 games.

"It doesn't mean much if we lose games but it's obviously nice to see that our line is creating chances most nights and we're able to score these last few weeks," Perreault said.
A power-play goal evened the score for the Kings at 14:23 after Blake Wheeler was nailed for high sticking. Catching the Jets on a bad line change, Anze Kopitar took a pass from Drew Doughty just outside the blue line, carried it down the left side and fired a quick shot over the glove to record his 11th of the year.
But the Jets got the lead right back with a PPG of their own late in the period. Back-to-back penalties (Bishop for slashing and Doughty for delay of game) gave the Jets a 1:53-long 5-on-3, and just as the penalties were about to expire, the shooting gallery came through.
Laine's one-timer went off the shin of LA defender Alec Martinez, rattled the end boards and then caromed in off the skate of the goaltender to give the Jets a 2-1 lead.

The goal was Laine's 34th of the season, helping him regain the rookie lead in both goals and points (61).

"We started well in the third period but our game changed. Too many penalties," Laine said.
"Our special teams need to be better."
LATE HITS: Dustin Byfuglien left the game late in the third period and did not return. There was no update on his condition following the game.
- Ryan Dittrick, WinnipegJets.com