WINNIPEG, Canada — Mark Scheifele scored two goals, Vladislav Namestnikov and Jonathan Toews both ended lengthy goal-scoring droughts, and the Winnipeg Jets ended their 11-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Kings on Friday night.
The Jets were winless (0-7-4) since a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Dec. 13. It was their longest skid since the team moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta in 2011.
Namestnikov ended a 29-game goal drought, while Toews halted a 26-game scoring slump. Cole Koepke also scored for the Jets and Gabriel Vilardi had two assists. Eric Comrie made 23 saves.
Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings. Darcy Kuemper stopped 11 of 16 shots before he was replaced by Anton Forsberg to start the third period. Forsberg made three saves.
Namestnikov, a healthy scratch Thursday against Edmonton, tipped in a shot at 1:31 of the first period. Koepke’s one-timer with 1:55 left in the period made it 2-0, then Toews tapped in his fourth goal of the season 2:07 into the second frame to make it 3-0.
Byfield’s goal seven minutes later was unsuccessfully challenged for interference by Jets coach Scott Arniel.
Scheifele scored on the power play at the 12:35 mark of the second when his pass from behind the net bounced off Byfield’s skate and past Kuemper, giving Winnipeg a 4-1 lead. Scheifele followed with his team-leading 22nd goal with 43 seconds remaining in the period.
Winnipeg’s Nino Niederreiter picked up an assist for his first point in 18 games. Kyle Connor extended his point streak to five games with an assist. Kings forward Anze Kopitar (lower body) missed his second straight game.
Up next for the Kings: at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.