EditorsNote: updates to "29 saves" in third graf
Jansen Harkins, Mason Appleton and Blake Wheeler scored goals in a 5-minute, 20-second stretch of the second period, and the Winnipeg Jets surged to a 6-3 home victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.
Nikolaj Ehlers, Patrik Laine and Wheeler added third-period goals while Jack Roslovic, Mark Scheifele and Ehlers had two assists each for the Jets. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck recovered from an early goal allowed to make 31 saves in Winnipeg's victory.
Dustin Brown scored two goals for the Kings, including one 35 seconds into the game. Martin Frk added a third-period tally, and goalie Calvin Petersen made 29 saves for Los Angeles in his third game of the season.
Fighting for playoff positioning just behind the wild-card leaders, the Jets rebounded from consecutive defeats with consecutive victories after also winning Sunday over the Chicago Blackhawks. Winnipeg has five victories over its last seven games.
The Kings owned the opening 30 minutes with Brown's goal and some stout defense in front of Petersen, but Harkins got the Jets going off a pass from Laine following a Kings turnover in the neutral zone. Harkins' second of the season came at 13:13 of the second period.
Appleton made it 2-1 at 17:05 of the second period, scoring off a pass from Roslovic, who faked a shot and dropped the puck behind him. Wheeler's 19th of the season came at 18:33 of the period off a cross-ice pass in front of the crease by Scheifele.
Despite some recent roster upheaval, the Kings stayed focused and pulled to within 3-2 on a goal from Martin Frk at 1:21 of the third period, his fourth.
The Kings were playing without veteran defenseman Alec Martinez, who was held out for "precautionary reasons," with reports of a pending trade to the Vegas Golden Knights. On Monday, the Kings traded forward Tyler Toffoli to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Jets regained their two-goal lead at 5:49 of the third period when Ehlers scored his 21st of the season off a pass from Scheifele. After Brown's second goal, his 12th of the season, cut the Jets' lead to 4-3, goals from Laine (an empty-netter) and Wheeler in the final 2:17 put the game away.
Winnipeg acquired defenseman Dylan DeMelo from the Ottawa Senators earlier Tuesday.
--Field Level Media
