Kopitar caps Canadian trip
Kings captain gets two points in 1,200th game to support Petersen as L.A. finishes 2-0-1.
WINNIPEG, Canada — Anze Kopitar recorded a goal and an assist in his 1,200th career game to help the Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.
Adrian Kempe also had a goal, his team-leading 29th, and an assist and Gabriel Vilardi
notched his third goal of the season for the Kings, who have just three regulation losses in their last 18 road games.
Cal Petersen stopped 25 shots for the Kings, who ended a three-game Canadian trip going 2-0-1.
Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry scored for the Jets, who started a three-game homestand. Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves for Winnipeg.
The Jets were scoreless on six power plays and the Kings were one for three.
The Jets had the game’s first power play, but the tables turned and Kempe scored short-handed at 2:21 in the first period. The goal was reviewed to see if he had kicked the puck into the net, but it stood.
Ehlers tied it up four minutes later when he burst down the left side of the ice and beat Petersen, but Kopitar took advantage of a Winnipeg turnover and recorded his 18th of the season to regain the lead midway through the period.
The Kings stretched their lead to 3-1 at 3:05 of the second, with Vilardi getting credited for a power-play goal after the puck went in off the skate of Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey.
Lowry squeezed the score 3-2 at 13:31 when he netted off a rebound four seconds after a Winnipeg power play expired.
The Jets were without leading-scorer Kyle Connor and defenseman Nate Schmidt, who are in the league’s COVID-19 protocol.