Kopitar, Kempe each has 2 points, Kings stifle Jets

LOS ANGELES -- Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe each had a goal and an assist in the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala also scored, Alex Laferriere had two assists, and the Kings (12-8-3) bounced back after allowing five goals in the third period of a 7-2 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Monday. David Rittich made 13 saves and got his 100th NHL win.

“We wanted to come out pretty hard and, obviously, we didn’t like the way the last game went,” Laferriere said. “I think it showed how resilient our group is and how we’re able to bounce back.”

Gabriel Vilardi had a power-play goal for the Jets (18-5-0), who are 3-4-0 following a seven-game winning streak. Connor Hellebuyck made 29 saves.

“We didn’t really have it all night, to be honest,” Winnipeg forward Nino Niederreiter said. “There were maybe a couple of minutes each period [in] which it feels like we played our game, but overall we just kind of were waiting, were hesitant, we didn’t play our game. And L.A. was a desperate team, and we weren’t desperate enough.”

The Kings went up 1-0 1:52 into the first period on Kopitar’s seventh goal. He tipped in Kempe’s long shot four seconds into a power play. It was Kopitar’s 10th power-play point (two goals, eight assists).

Danault made it 2-0 at 7:10 of the second period, following up his own rebound at the right post for his second goal of the season. Los Angeles made significant changes to all four of its lines for this game, and Danault said those moves allowed him to reset his own approach.

“Sometimes it’s good,” Danault said. “We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and step up our game, everyone. Some guys struggle together, and you get with other line mates and can step up. It’s normal. The lines should be moving when it’s not going well.”

Vilardi cut it to 2-1 at 9:12 on the power play, scoring from close range after Rittich couldn’t cover the loose puck.

The Kings extended their lead to 3-1 at 5:21 of the third period when Fiala’s shot was redirected before going in off the skate of Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury, who was battling Laferriere at the top of the crease.

“I mean, you’re not going to score from outside the dots on a goalie like Hellebuyck,” Laferriere said. “He’s an unbelievable goalie, and you’re not going to beat him clean every time, so I think anytime you can get chaos and bodies to the net, [it] kind of disrupts things and obviously disrupts things for him too.”

Kempe scored an empty-net goal at 17:04 for the 4-1 final. Kopitar had the primary assist for his third straight game with multiple points (two goals, four assists).

The Jets had two shots on goal in the third period.

“They didn’t really let us get pucks to the net,” Niederreiter said. “A lot of shots got blocked, and they did a really good job in front of their net boxing us out. Credit to them. They played a good game.”

NOTES: Rasmus Kupari had his penalty shot at 2:58 of the second saved by Rittich after Kupari had been slashed by Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke on a breakaway. … Kempe has five points (two goals, three assists) during a three-game point streak. … Rittich is 100-63-24 in 210 NHL games. He is the eighth Czechia-born goalie with 100 NHL wins.