Kings fall to Maple Leafs at home, registering their third consecutive loss
Martin Jones made 31 saves for his 30th career shutout, William Nylander scored two goals and the Toronto Maple Leafs snapped their three-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Kings on Tuesday night.
Calle Jarnkrok also scored and Tyler Bertuzzi had two assists for the Maple Leafs, who began their three-game California road trip with a strong defensive effort in front of Jones, their unlikely first-choice goalie. Nylander got Toronto’s opening goal in the second period and wrapped up the win with an empty-net goal, his 19th of the season.
Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for the Kings, who have lost three straight for the first time this season. The Kings also have lost four of five at home after getting shut out for the first time this season.
Connor McDavid finishes with a goal and an assist and Derek Ryan scores the decisive goal in the Oilers’ 3-2 shootout win over the Kings.
Jones, who began his NHL career with the Kings, posted his second shutout since returning to the NHL last month. His 30 career shutouts tie him for 71st in league history with three goalies, including Talbot.
After a scoreless first period, Nylander got the Leafs on the board early with a one-timer off a slick pass from Bertuzzi from behind the net.
Järnkrok scored three minutes later on a backhand after Bertuzzi found him in the slot with a wicked pass from the boards.
The Kings thought they had muscled one past Jones with 13:59 to play, but officials immediately ruled Quinton Byfield had pushed Jones’ left pad into the net along with the puck.
Jones has taken over for Toronto in net after Joseph Woll went down with a sprained ankle early last month and struggling Ilya Samsonov was waived and demoted to the AHL this week. Jones’ backup is Dennis Hildeby, a 22-year-old Swede who has yet to make his NHL debut after being drafted in the fourth round in 2022.
Jones joined the Kings as an undrafted free agent in 2008 and eventually played his way into the NHL, appearing on the roster of the Kings’ first Stanley Cup-winning team in 2012 and later earning a ring as Jonathan Quick’s backup for the second title run in 2014. Now 33 years old, Jones didn’t make Toronto’s roster in training camp, but he has appeared in eight of the Leafs’ last 10 games.
Arthur Kaliyev was a healthy scratch for the Kings. The Russian forward is in a 10-game goal drought.
Samsonov has been assigned to Toronto’s AHL affiliate after going unclaimed on waivers, but Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said the goalie won’t join the Marlies immediately. Instead, Treliving said the demotion will allow Samsonov to have “a physical and a mental reset.”
Anze Kopitar had a goal and an assist, but the Kings fell on the road in regulation for only the second time this season in a 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights.
“We’re trying to let the air out of the balloon a little bit,” Treliving said. “Give him a bunch of support, and just let him reset and use this week as that reset. We know there’s a good goalie there. He’s showed that in the past. You go through these stages.”
Samsonov is 5-6-2 with an .862 save percentage and a 3.94 goals-against average, both among the NHL’s worst.
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Kings: Host Detroit on Thursday.
