Jets fall 4-1 to Kings, struggle to record a season-low total of 14 shots

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Peggy

David Rittich made 13 saves in his 100th career victory, and captain Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-1 victory over the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.

Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala also scored, and Adrian Kempe added an empty-net goal for the Kings.

Gabriel Vilardi scored against his former team for the Jets, who have lost four of seven since their 15-1-0 start to the season. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 30 shots in the fourth game on Winnipeg’s six-game trip.

Kopitar redirected Kempe’s shot from the point on the power play just 1:52 into the game for the only goal in the first period.

Danault skated unimpeded across Winnipeg’s goal mouth around the seven-minute mark of the second period for his second goal of the season, ending a 10-game scoring drought.

Two minutes later, Vilardi lifted a rebound nine seconds into a power play for Winnipeg’s first goal.

A hockey player in white skates around from behind the net and tries to sneak the puck past the opposing goalie on his backhand. — Winnipeg Jets centre Gabriel Vilardi tries to sneak the puck past Los Angeles Kings goaltender David Rittich during first-period action Wednesday night in Los Angeles. (Ryan Sun/The Associated Press)

Jets forward Rasmus Kupari, who is also a former King, was awarded a penalty shot early in the second period but Rittich stopped it comfortably with an outstretched pad.

Rittich was Hellebuyck’s backup for the 2022-23 Jets.

Early in the third, Fiala flung a puck toward the net and got credit for his eighth goal — ending an eight-game goal drought — when it banked in off Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury’s skate.

The Jets’ offensive powerhouse struggled mightily against Los Angeles’ disciplined defensive effort, managing a season-low 14 shots. Winnipeg hadn’t recorded fewer than 20 shots in any game this season.

Winnipeg’s early-season goal production probably wasn’t sustainable, but the Jets have scored just three combined goals in their four losses over the past two weeks.

The win was a much-needed rebound performance for the Kings after a humiliating 7-2 loss to cellar-dwelling San Jose on Monday.