WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets were looking to control the tempo against a Western Conference giant, the LA Kings; they did it for the most part of the game. But in the third period, the Kings turned it on and played their game and a 1-1 game turned into a 4-1 road win for the surging LA Kings who have now reeled off six straight wins after dropping their first three games of the season.
The Kings who missed the playoffs last season after winning two Stanley Cups in the previous three seasons have undergone some changes but the core guys remain the same and they are hungry to get back on top again. Both teams play a similar style with lots of speed and physical play and tonight the Jets couldn’t do what they needed to in the third period and had an unlucky bounce cost them the game.
Ondrej Pavelec got the start and stopped 28 of 30 LA shots and took the loss. He was named the game’s third star.
Jonathan Quick showed why he is one of the elite goalies in the world as he stopped 24 of 25 shots and made some beauties that will be on highlight reels for sure. He also had some help from a couple of posts as well. He was named the games second star.
Winnipeg got its lone goal off the stick of rookie sensation Nikolaj Ehlers who threw a harmless shot to the net that made it past Quick for his 4th of the season. He also rang a rocket off the cross bar in the first period.
The Kings got goals from Jake Muzzin who ripped a bomb past Pavelec for his first, Milan Lucic scored the winner with under five minutes to play his 2nd of the season, Tyler Toffoli added his 7th an empty netter as did Trevor Lewis for his first of the year.
“I was going to shoot it, but I saw [Winnipeg defenseman Ben Chiarot‘s] stick there and figured that if I was going to shoot it, it was going to get tipped or blocked,” said Toffoli, who is second in the NHL with seven goals. “I knew Lucic was going to the back post, and I just threw it there.”
The Kings got a very strong performance from Lucic as he was a physical presence all game and looks like he is getting more and more comfortable with his new team. He had some big collisions with Dustin Byfuglien and Adam Lowry of the Jets. Lucic was named the game’s first star.
“It’s a lot more fun playing this way, working hard and getting results than it is cheating like we were in the first three games,” Lucic said.
Things don’t get easier as the Jets close out this 6 game home stand against the Chicago Black Hawks on Thursday night. The defending cup champs are rolling right now as well.
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