Jets Fall to Kings for First Road Loss of Season
Adrian Kempe reached a milestone by scoring his 200th NHL career goal, while Drew Doughty set a new Los Angeles Kings record for goals by a defenseman. The Kings secured a 3-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.
Goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped 23 shots, and Kevin Fiala added a late power-play goal, giving Los Angeles its first home victory of the season after six attempts. Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves for Winnipeg, which suffered its first road defeat in five games.
Key Moments and Milestones
- Kempe found the net late in the first period, converting Joel Armia’s centering pass from behind the net for his sixth goal of the season.
- With that goal, Kempe became the ninth player from the 2014 draft class to reach 200 career goals, achieving the mark in 644 games.
- Doughty surpassed Rob Blake's franchise record with his 162nd career goal, an empty-net strike in the final minute of play.
Team Adjustments and Contributions
The Kings reshuffled their lines by moving Joel Armia to the top offensive unit and pairing Mikey Anderson back with longtime teammate Drew Doughty on defense. The changes paid off immediately, as both Armia and Anderson earned assists on Kempe’s opening goal.
Career Milestone
Forward Corey Perry appeared in his 1,400th NHL game, becoming the 44th player in league history to reach that number. He joined active veterans Brent Burns (1,511), Alex Ovechkin (1,503), and Anze Kopitar (1,464) among players with over 1,400 career appearances.
“It was a great team win at home and an important one to build momentum,” said a Kings player following the game.
Author’s Summary: Los Angeles dominated in a disciplined performance, highlighted by Kempe’s milestone, Doughty’s record-breaking goal, and Perry’s 1,400th career game.