Jets Fall to Kings for First Road Loss of Season
Adrian Kempe scored his 200th NHL career goal, and Drew Doughty set a new Los Angeles record for goals by a defenseman as the Kings defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Key Performances and Stats
- Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots, contributing to the Kings' first home win of the season after six games.
- Kevin Fiala added a late power-play goal to seal the victory.
- Connor Hellebuyck also made 23 saves for the Jets, who suffered their first road defeat after five consecutive away games.
Milestones and Team Adjustments
Kempe netted his sixth goal of the season late in the first period by attacking the crease and finishing off Joel Armia’s centring pass from the trapezoid. This goal marked Kempe as the ninth player from the 2014 draft class to reach 200 goals in 644 games.
Doughty surpassed Rob Blake's franchise record with his 162nd goal, scoring an empty-netter with 54 seconds left. The Kings adjusted their lineup by moving Armia to the top line and reuniting Mikey Anderson with Doughty on the first defensive pair, which immediately paid off as both assisted on Kempe’s goal.
Corey Perry played in his 1,400th career game, becoming the 44th NHL player to reach this milestone. He joins Brent Burns (1,511), Alex Ovechkin (1,503), and Anze Kopitar (1,464) as active players with 1,400 or more games.
Summary: The Kings secured a decisive 3-0 win over the Jets with milestone goals from Kempe and Doughty, boosted by strategic lineup changes and strong goaltending.