Jets overcome tough first period to beat Kings

A win is a win.
Although the 6-4 triumph in Los Angeles may not have been as textbook as the shutout against St. Louis on Monday, the two points in the standings count all the same.
And now, the Jets have consecutive wins for the first time this season, and improved their record to 4-3-0.
"Some are a lot prettier than others," said Adam Lowry. "The St. Louis game is one you can win with every night. This one, maybe not so much."
Six different goal scorers helped the Jets to the win, but Connor Hellebuyck's 39 saves were the story.
Los Angeles may have scored four times, but with the Jets outshot 17-6 in the first (16-1 at one point), and 44-19 in the game, the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner was a massive part of his team's success on Thursday night.

"At the end of the day, (Hellebuyck) made some huge stops for us, kept us in that game," said associate coach Scott Arniel. "I know it's not VHS tape but it's in the garbage and we'll just put that one aside."
Whether it was Arniel or the players, everyone spoke about the importance of getting out of that tough first period down by just one. The road to getting there was a bit of a roller coaster.
Offensively, the Jets got the start they were looking for. Mark Scheifele forced a turnover high in the Winnipeg zone, taking the puck from Kings centre Phillip Danault, and used his speed to go in alone on Jonathan Quick. Scheifele made no mistake, picking the top right corner for his team-leading fifth of the season to put the Jets up 1-0 just over five minutes into the first.

Los Angeles responded on their second power play of the period, the result of a too many men call against Winnipeg. Arthur Kaliyev used the space in front of him on the zone entry, then used Dylan DeMelo as a screen before snapping it past Connor Hellebuyck.
Just 1:06 later, Blake Lizotte banged home his second of the season after a furious Kings forecheck resulted in the puck coming out to the side of Hellebuyck's crease. That's where Lizotte was able to get to it, whacking it past Hellebuyck.
Kevin Fiala then made it 3-1 after the Jets couldn't clear during a penalty kill. Fiala's second of the campaign wasn't officially a power play goal, but two failed clearing attempts shortly after a Neal Pionk holding penalty gave Fiala the open look from the right circle with 5:27 remaining in the first.
"They were putting the boots to us pretty good," said Lowry. "Sometimes it's easy to fold a tent. You have a back-to-back, but credit to our guys we didn't."

To close out a wild opening period, Lowry notched a shorthanded goal - using his trademark forehand to backhand deke - sliding the puck through the five hole of Quick to make it 3-2.
"Thank God we have a World Class goaltender, otherwise that game is a lot different than the first period score," said Nate Schmidt. "Sometimes it takes your goaltender making all of the saves to wake up your guys and be ready to go. That's a quick team, a lot different LA Kings team than you're used to seeing."

Dylan DeMelo and Pierre-Luc Dubois would also have chances to tie the game in the final minute of the period, but ultimately the Jets went into the first intermission down 3-2 after being outshot 17-6.
A tripping penalty on Alexander Edler with 5:01 remaining in the second gave the Jets the opening they needed to tie the game in the second. A fake shot from Kyle Connor at the top of the right circle froze the Kings penalty killers, and a quick pass down low to Pierre-Luc Dubois allowed the Jets forward to shovel home his third of the season.
"With how they play, we had talked about, especially with their system - the 1-3-1 system - how important it was for us to get it all in. I just don't think they did it early enough," said Schmidt. "As the game went on we realized we can't have that type of mentality of looking for the perfect one. You have to sometimes throw it at their feet. Look at PL's goal. Just getting in there and throwing it in there and jamming away."

The Jets then snatched the lead as Schmidt's wrist shot from the point got through a couple bodies in front of Quick, putting the visitors ahead 4-3 with 65 seconds left in the middle frame.
However, it only took 4:45 of the third period for the Kings to tie it, as they forced a turnover high in the Jets zone, allowing Trevor Moore to get in alone. He beat Hellebuyck five-hole, with the lone assist going to Danault.
Once again, Winnipeg had an answer. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby deflected a Brenden Dillon point shot past Quick for his first goal as a member of the Jets - and third goal of his NHL career - to put the Jets ahead 5-4.

Blake Wheeler added an empty netter to seal the win on a wild night in Los Angeles.
With the next game on the schedule set for tomorrow night, the Jets are eager to put this one behind them and move on.
"The mood is get packed up and get ready to rock and go to Arizona," said Schmidt. "If you get a win in a building like this after starting the way that you did, there are some good things to say about that as well."