In Winnipeg Tuesday, Ilya Kovalchuk scored his first goal of the season to take the Los Angeles Kings to an early 1-0 lead.
But the Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck slammed the door the rest of the way with 16 saves in a 2-1 win for Winnipeg.
Mark Scheifele tied the game and Kyle Connor potted a power play goal in the second period for the difference in the victory.
“It’s a play we’ve done before,” Connor said. “I think I had a good chance in St. Louis (last Thursday), popping back door. It’s just another look for us, rather than just kind of stagnant down low by the post.”
The Jets’ defense and Hellebuyck shut the door the rest of teh way.
“That’s kind of the game we want to play,” Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler said. “Quick transition and try to spend as much time in the other end as we can.”
Kovalchuk was more concerned for the loss than the goal after the game.
“I prefer to win than score goals,” Kovalchuk said. “It wasn’t enough, so we will be better next game.”
Jets coach Paul Maurice was pleased with the his team’s defensive play.
“Up until parts of the third, what we were very good at was our gap in the neutral zone. It was really strong; I think they dumped 15 pucks in the first period,” he said. “That’s a really high number. We didn’t give them many opportunities to do anything else with the puck other than dump it. I believe we got 14 of the 15 back and had a good breakout. Our gap was right, which means the puck shouldn’t really able to get through you in the middle and it has to be worked to the outside.”
[WATCH: All Kings vs. Jets highlights]
Jack Campbell made 37 saves in the loss.
“I thought the third period, we started to play on our toes a little more and we were able to generate a little more of an attack,” Kings coach John Stevens said. “But prior to that [we] totally played the game on our heels, backing up retreating instead of getting after it.”
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