The Los Angeles Kings (18-15-10) continued their three-game road trip into Manitoba in a Western Conference clash with the Winnipeg Jets (16-22-5). No matchup is easy in the National Hockey League but the Kings were given a chance to bounce back with a victory over the Jets who entered Friday night having lost their last 11 games, which has them sitting at 32nd place in the league. After falling behind early, the Kings never had enough to juice to make a game out of this one.
The dog days of the season seem to be hitting the Kings in full force this year as they have now lost 10 of their last 14 contests.
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Kings Fall Behind Early
It didn’t take long for this game to turn ugly as the Jets came out flying while it looked like the Kings were still taking their pre-game nap. Before the broadcast could even finish showing the starting lineups Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov scored his 7th goal of the season by redirecting a Logan Stanley shot from the point past Darcy Kuemper.
After falling behind just a minute and a half into the contest, the Kings weathered the storm but that was it. The time of possession battle was fairly even but it was clearly the Jets game to lose.
To add insult to injury, Cole Koepke doubled the Winnipeg lead with less than two minutes remaining in the opening frame. Kopeke blistered his third of the year past Kuemper off of a nice feed by Dylan Samberg.
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Another Early Period Blunder
Just like the first period, the Kings were caught lacking and it cost them. Just over two minutes into the second period the Jets stretched their early game lead to 3-0. After a 26-game goaless drought, Jets forward Jonathan Toews found the back of the net for his fourth of the season after finding the loose puck in the crease where was then able to jam it into the L.A. net.
Byfield Gets On The Board
After a very lifeless first half of the game, the Kings found themselves a sliver of life as they shrank the Winnipeg lead to 3-1. Quinton Byfield tipped-in Warren Foegele’s shot from the point for his seventh goal of the season, Taylor Award picks up the other assist fo this second career NHL point.
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Byfield now has four points in his last four games after having just four points 19 games prior to this stretch.
Midseason Truth About the Los Angeles Kings
Scheifele Ices The Game With A Pair
Byfield’s goal to make it 3-1 seemingly gave the Kings an outside chance of coming back in this one. That was until notable Team Canada snub Mark Scheifele scored his 21st and 22nd goals of the season to officially turn this game into a blowout.
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Darcy Kuemper was pulled and Anton Forsberg was given the net for the third period. Forsberg didn’t see a ton of action but he did stop all three shots he faced.
The Kings played a little better in the third period as they did generate a handful of quality chances but to no avail.
WInnipeg’s dreadful streak was bound to come to an end eventually, it’s just a shame that the Kings made it so easy for them.
The Los Angeles Kings are back in action on Saturday as they finish off their three game road trip in a battle with Connor McDavid and the dreaded Edmonton Oilers.
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