LOS ANGELES_For most of the third period Thursday the Los Angeles Kings looked like their old, championship-caliber selves, breaking open a close game against the Winnipeg Jets by scoring two power-play goals and a short-handed goal as they cruised to a 5-2 victory at Staples Center.
It was all too rare a sight in this inconsistent, goal-starved season and a welcome, familiar feeling for center Anze Kopitar.
"It felt that way, especially in the second and third periods," said Kopitar, who contributed a goal and an assist and won 15 of 21 faceoffs. "I felt like we were holding on to the puck a lot better, making the plays, just playing hockey, reacting on the ice instead of thinking too much and kind of being hesitant.
"We've got to do more of the same in the coming weeks."
Even that might not be enough. Crucial though this victory was, it meant only that the Kings kept pace in the Western Conference playoff chase. They have nine games left and must erase an eight-point gap between them and the second West wild-card berth, currently held by the Nashville Predators.
"Listen, we've got to win our games first and whatever happens on the other side, or for the wild-card race, it's going to happen," Kopitar said. "But we've got to make sure we're on our game and making sure that we're getting two points every night."
Marian Gaborik broke a 2-2 tie when he flicked a wrist shot past the glove of Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck during a power play at 2:01 of the third period, a sight too rarely seen this season. Defenseman Drew Doughty padded the lead to 4-2 at 3:57 when he blasted a shot past Hellebuyck after being set up on passes from Kopitar and Tyler Toffoli. The goal was Gaborik's 10th this season, a disappointingly low number.
Tanner Pearson applied the final flourish with a short-handed goal at 9:22, his 23rd goal this season. "We were able to create stuff in the (offensive) zone," he said, noting the variety of even-strength, power-play and short-handed goals the Kings produced.
Goalie Ben Bishop made 19 saves to earn his first victory with the Kings in his fifth appearance since the team acquired him from Tampa Bay.
The Jets scored first, at 6:54 of the first period. Mark Scheifele dug the puck out of the corner and passed it back to defenseman Brian Strait, whose shot was deflected by Mathieu Perreault and past Bishop. The Kings pulled even on a power-play goal that was reminiscent of combinations and plays they routinely pulled off when they were at their best. Doughty, skating up the middle, passed to his left to Kopitar, who rifled a shot from the left circle past Hellebuyck for his 11th goal this season.
A slashing penalty on Bishop at 16:52 and a delay-of-game penalty against Doughty at 16:58 gave the Jets a lengthy five-on-three power play, and they capitalized. Sensational Patrik Laine scored his 34th goal _ tops among NHL rookies this season _ when he took a shot that caromed off Kings defenseman Alec Martinez, off the end boards, and off the inside of Bishop's leg as it found its way into the net at 18:41.
The Kings pulled even at 16:06 of the second period on a goal by defenseman Jake Muzzin, a shot that snaked past a crowd of bodies in front of the net and past Hellebuyck's left arm.
