Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor celebrates after scoring the game winning goal in overtime against the Los Angeles Kings, in Winnipeg, on March 20, 2018.Trevor Hagan
Rookie Kyle Connor scored twice as the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 in overtime Tuesday night.
But the Jets did lose sharp-shooter Patrik Laine to a lower-body injury.
Connor fired the winner past goalie Jack Campbell at 1:37 of overtime to help the Jets set a franchise record for wins at 44 (44-19-10). Winnipeg had 43 wins in 2014-15 while the Atlanta Thrashers hit the same mark in 2006-07 before the franchise relocated to Manitoba in 2011.
Laine was helped down the tunnel to the dressing room about a minute and half into the second period. He wasn't putting any weight on his left foot after blocking a shot by Kings defenceman Alec Martinez that hit him in the lower leg.
The injury halted the sophomore winger's 15-game points streak (18 goals, eight assists). That was the longest active point streak in the NHL and a league record for a teenager.
Laine had also entered the game tied for the league goal-scoring lead with Washington's Alexander Ovechkin. But the Capitals star scored his 44th of the season and two assists in a 4-3 win over Dallas on Tuesday night.
Connor had scored his 26th goal of the season late in the second. It was Winnipeg's third straight victory.
Dustin Brown scored his 23rd goal of the season for the Kings (40-27-7), who were coming off a 4-3 overtime win against Minnesota on Monday.
The game featured a battle between backup goalies, each making their third career start.
Rookie Eric Comrie stopped 16 shots for the Jets for his second career win. He had one start last season (a victory) and picked up a loss against Florida in December.
Jack Campbell made 36 saves for the Kings. The 26-year-old was a first-round pick of Dallas in 2010 (11th overall) and joined the Kings in 2016. His only win in six career games was last month in Las Vegas.
Winnipeg won the season series 2-1.
The Jets outshot Los Angeles 11-8 in the scoreless first.
Brown and Anze Kopitar played tic-tac-toe on a 2-on-1 to score the game's first goal at 8:42 of the second. The back and forth ended when Brown got the pass and easily flipped it into the open side behind Comrie.
Winnipeg then had two power plays, but couldn't beat Campbell despite some sustained pressure. Kings forward Jeff Carter missed an open part of the net while his team was shorthanded.
Connor tied it at 17:06 when he deflected a Mark Scheifele pass. Winnipeg held a 23-15 advantage in shots on goal after the middle frame.
Winnipeg had its fourth power play early in the third and the Kings got their second midway through the frame.
The Jets host Anaheim on Friday in the fourth game of their six-game homestand. The Kings visit Colorado on Thursday.
Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff says goaltender interference is “inherently a judgement call” and needs to be accepted as such. NHL general managers discussed the rule on the first day of a three-day meeting in Florida.
The Canadian Press