Kings lose to Jets in first game after Toffoli trade

WINNIPEG -- The Los Angeles Kings lost their first game since trading Tyler Toffoli, 6-3 to the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday.

Los Angeles acquired forwards Tyler Madden and Tim Schaller, a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft from the Vancouver Canucks for Toffoli on Monday.
WATCH: [All Kings vs. Jets highlights]
Blake Wheeler scored two goals and had an assist, and Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists for the Jets (31-25-5), who scored three times in 5:20 in the second period. Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves.
"It's there," Wheeler said of the chemistry he has with linemate Mark Scheifele. "There's not a whole lot to say about it. You know I love playing with [Scheifele] and I think the feeling's mutual. It's like riding a bike."
Jets coach Paul Maurice shuffled his lines in the second period, putting Wheeler, Scheifele and Ehlers together for the first time since Nov. 5, resulting in eight combined points.
"You're watching that back-door goal [by Wheeler to make it 3-1] thinking 'Man, I haven't seen that in a while. That felt good,'" Maurice said. "They certainly made a strong argument today. It's something that you know you like, you've seen it work so well, but we've had our challenges with pieces of lines."

Dustin Brown scored two goals, and Cal Petersen made 29 saves for the Kings (21-34-5), who lost for the sixth time in their past eight games.
"There are going to be ups and downs and distractions, but it is your job as a player to be ready to play regardless of the situation," Brown said. "I think emotionally it can drain you, but you've got to be able to focus. If you want to be playing in the playoffs, this is a good time for guys to learn how to play, whether it's distractions, or pressure, or playing against really good teams.
"We're not going to make the playoffs so we're going to be playing teams that are fighting for points. You can learn a lot from playing in these games if you're prepared and willing to do the work."
Brown scored 35 seconds into the first period for a 1-0 lead.
Jansen Harkins tied it 1-1 at 13:13 of the second period before Mason Appleton gave the Jets a 2-1 lead at 17:05.

Wheeler increased the lead to 3-1 at 18:33, Winnipeg's third goal in a span of 5:20.
Martin Frk cut it to 3-2 at 1:21 of the third period, but Ehlers made it 4-2 at 5:49.
Brown brought the Kings within 4-3 at 15:16, but Patrik Laine scored into an empty net at 17:43 to make it 5-3.
Wheeler made it 6-3 at 18:31, deflecting a Neal Pionk point shot.
"I'm disappointed in the sixth goal," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "I thought we folded our tent and our cards at that point, and those are moments we'll really address moving forward. The loss is one thing, but the last two minutes really [ticks] me off."

They said it

"There's no quit in them. They keep fighting back, clawing back. … There are champions in that room and they've got championship pedigree and they won't let it happen. But when you shoot yourself in the foot and you're not gifted enough to score on a regular basis, you don't give yourself a chance. And to me that was the type of game we had tonight." -- Kings coach Todd McLellan
"I think it's been a great homestand. Obviously you want to be 6-0, but we feel really good about the way we've been able to play." -- Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers on going 4-2-0 on their season-long six game homestand

Need to know

Kings defenseman Alec Martinez was a healthy scratch. … Wheeler played his 700th game with the Jets/Thrashers, 677 with Winnipeg and 23 with Atlanta. He has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past three games. … The Jets have allowed the first goal in each of their past five games. … Laine has 10 goals in his past 13 games. … Jets forward Kyle Connor had an assist and has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past seven games. … Ehlers has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past four games.

What's next

Kings: Host the Florida Panthers on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, FS-F, NHL.TV)
Jets: At the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS2, TSN3, NHL.TV)