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Scheifele’s two goals help Jets snap 11-game losing streak with 5-1 win over Kings

By The Associated Press

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — 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 Los Angeles 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 the 16 shots he faced before he was replaced by Anton Forsberg to start the third period. Forsberg made three saves.

Namestnikov, who was 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 by Jets coach Scott Arniel for interference.

Scheifele scored on the power play at 12:35 when his pass from behind the net bounced off Byfield’s skate and past Kuemper, giving Winnipeg a 4-1 lead. He followed up with his team-leading 22nd goal of the season with 43 seconds remaining in the game.

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

Kings: Take on the Oilers in Edmonton on Saturday night.

Jets: Host the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

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AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL

Sabres land No. 4 draft pick in trading Byram to Blackhawks. Capitals acquire Kyrou from Blues

By The Associated Press
The Buffalo Sabres dealt defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago, and the Washington Capitals acquired right winger Jordan Kyrou in a trade with St. Louis on Thursday, keeping the player movement around the NHL spinning ahead of the draft later this week and with free agency on the horizon. The Sabres' trade was the most notable as Buffalo also acquired the No. 4 pick in the draft that the team is hosting this weekend. Buffalo also acquired third-year defenseman Louis Crevier, who had a career-best 25 points in his first full NHL season, and a second-round draft pick, 46th overall. Chicago also acquired hard-hitting forward Jordan Greenway. Byram is the key player in a trade made after Buffalo sought to sign the player to long-term contract. Byram had completed the first season of a two-year $12.5 million deal. The 25-year-old had a career-high 42 points and matched a career-high with 11 goals in 82 games in spending much of the season playing alongside captain Rasmus Dahlin as Buffalo’s top defensive pairing. He was part of a deep and talented blue line that contributed to the Sabres winning their first Atlantic Division title and snapping an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
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