LOS ANGELES — Andrei Kuzmenko, Adrian Kempe, and captain Anze Kopitar each contributed a goal and an assist in the Los Angeles Kings` 4-1 victory against the Winnipeg Jets, who were leading the NHL, on Tuesday night.
Trevor Moore also scored for the Kings. This win moved them two points ahead of Edmonton for the second spot in the Pacific Division.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 18 shots. Los Angeles secured their 11th win in 14 games, showcasing dominance in a match between the NHL`s top two defensive teams.
Cole Perfetti achieved his 17th goal, and Connor Hellebuyck blocked 16 shots for the Jets. Their three-game winning streak was broken at the start of a three-game road trip.
Kuzmenko`s strong two-way play highlighted his recent positive streak with the Kings, who acquired him in a trade last month. He has accumulated nine points in his last seven games, including a goal and two assists in LA`s 8-1 victory over San Jose on Sunday.
Moore initiated the scoring when he deflected Joel Edmundson`s puck mid-air into the net off his skate, marking his 17th goal.
Shortly after, just 82 seconds later, Los Angeles executed a swift transition play. Kuzmenko forced a turnover from David Gustafsson in the neutral zone and set up Kopitar for his 19th goal.
Kempe sealed the victory with his 32nd goal into an empty net.
Key Points
Jets: Luke Schenn was absent from the game, which is encouraging for the Dallas Stars, who are second in the division and trail Winnipeg by four points with one game in hand.
Kings: With another excellent defensive showing, Los Angeles set a new franchise record with their 28th home win of the season. They still have five home games remaining.
Turning Point
Kuzmenko concluded the second period by stealing the puck from Logan Stanley in the neutral zone and scoring an impressive unassisted goal.
Stat to Note
The Kings achieved a season series sweep against the Jets (3-0-0) for the first time since the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011.
Coming Up
The Jets will play in Vegas on Thursday, while the Kings will travel to Utah.