There wasn’t a whole lot of open ice for either team.
The Los Angeles Kings won a tight-checking contest as Adrian Kempe scored the game-winning goal at 1:14 of overtime for a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
Neither team was able to generate much in the way of offence in the first two periods of play. They combined for only 10 shots in the first period and Winnipeg had only nine shots on goal over the first 40 minutes.
“That’s as close as a playoff game that we’ve seen so far,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “That was exactly the type of games that get played at the end of the season. There was not a lot of room to make plays. When you did have some time, it got closed off pretty quick.”
Mark Scheifele scored the Jets lone goal in the third period as they settled for a single point.
“I think it was a hard-fought game,” said Scheifele. “Both sides protected the inside ice and didn’t give much easy ice inside. So, it was a tough battle right to the end.”
The win gives L.A. its fifth straight victory, while the Jets fall to 1-1-2 through four games of their season-long eight-game homestand.
The shots finished 23-19 in favour of the visitors.
“It was tight-checking throughout the whole game,” Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi said. “Not a lot of space for either side. I thought we kinda gained the momentum in the third a bit.”
Jets goalie Eric Comrie suffered his seventh straight loss, but the Jets have only scored 11 goals during his losing streak.
“It’s giving him some run support,” Arniel said. “I’d love to see us get out three or four goals and be able to do it, but again, he made some big stops.”
Josh Morrissey and Dylan Samberg were both in the lineup for the Jets after dealing with injuries. Samberg had missed the past six weeks with a broken foot.
It was a battle of two top Western Conference teams at Canada Life Centre – and offence was coming at a premium.
Los Angeles thought they opened the scoring at 4:01 when Jordan Spence took a point shot that found the net, but Winnipeg challenged and the play was deemed offside.
The Kings struck first just under five minutes into the second period on what looked like a harmless shot from Kempe, however it was deflected in front by Alex Turcotte and flew past the glove of Eric Comrie.
Scheifele gave the Jets life in the third period with a power play goal after the Kings took consecutive penalties. It was a redemption of sorts after Scheifele took two penalties of his own in the middle frame.
Connor Hellebuyck was honoured during a pre-game ceremony for recently playing in his 500th NHL game, earning his 300th win and recording his 40th career shutout.
The Jets are back in action tomorrow night when they host the Colorado Avalanche with puck drop just after 6 p.m. at Canada Life Centre.
