Andrew Ladd scored twice and the Winnipeg Jets boosted their playoff hopes in 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
The Jets also got goals from a pair of recent acquisitions, Drew Stafford and Tyler Myers, and held the defending Stanley Cup champions to 20 shots on goal in one of their more complete efforts of the season. Blake Wheeler added an empty-net goal.
Jeff Carter scored twice for Los Angeles, and the Kings dropped their third consecutive game after an eight-game winning streak.
The Jets have earned points in 10 of their past 12 games and have a three-point lead on Minnesota for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
The Kings remain in a precarious position, tied with Calgary for third in the Pacific Division.
Martin Jones replaced Jonathan Quick to start the third period after the Kings’ top goalie allowed four goals on 21 shots.
Michael Hutchinson made 18 saves for the Jets. His toughest save came off Jordan Nolan on a first-period breakaway.
The game was decided by a three-goal second-period outburst by the Jets after Carter had tied the game at 1-1.
Myers made it 2-1 when he skated around Dustin Brown at the point, bided his time, and beat Quick from the right faceoff dot at 10:43.
Bryan Little drove to the net 42 seconds later and beat everyone except the goal post. But the puck came right to Ladd in the crease, and he made it 3-1. The Jets’ captain scored again with 44 seconds left in the period on a quick shot from the left faceoff circle that Quick could only partially stop.
Stafford made it 1-0 after Robyn Regehr turned the puck over behind his own net in the first period.
Carter tied it for the Kings with a low shot off the rush at 7:18 of the second period, and made it 4-2 with a late goal in the third period.
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