Kings Edge Jets on Strong Defense as Healy Puts Hurting on Winnipeg

In his last start before Sunday, Glenn Healy was knocked unconscious when a shot by Jim Pavese of the New York Rangers hit him in the back of the head.

Then, in the second period Sunday, Iain Duncan of the Winnipeg Jets charged into Healy, knocking the Kings’ rookie goaltender onto his back and sending his helmet flying through the air.

Healy’s head hit the ice, and the wound of last Tuesday night, which required eight stitches to close, was reopened.

Healy, though, survived the crash and stopped 27 shots in an intense, physical 2-1 Kings’ victory before a crowd of 11,944 at the Winnipeg Arena.

“It’s certainly inspiring to come out and see the guys really go at it for 60 minutes,” said Healy, alluding to a determined defensive effort by the Kings, who hadn’t allowed so few goals since Oct. 25, when they beat the Jets here by the same score.

Both teams promised a hard-hitting game after a 5-3 win by the Jets Friday night ended with a fight.

And Jay Wells set the tone early, making some big hits and squaring off with the Jets’ Dwight Schofield less than eight minutes into the game.

“That’s something I’ve got to do,” Wells said. “I’ve got to bump and I’ve got to hit. And, hopefully, maybe that sparks the team.”

It was a well-played game for the most part, and the threats turned out to be idle.

Wells took a roughing penalty at 3:31 of the first period, leading to a power-play goal by Andrew McBain that gave the Jets a 1-0 lead at 4:08.

But for the next 55:52, the Jets came up with nothing, failing to score on their last 23 shots on goal.

It was a noteworthy defensive performance by the Kings, who have allowed more goals than any other team in the National Hockey League, but it was especially so for Healy.

He hadn’t played since last Tuesday night, when he was spun around and knocked to the ice after becoming entangled with teammate Dave Taylor and Paul Cyr of the Rangers. As he fell, Healy was struck in the back of the head by a low shot by Pavese, who was standing about 20 feet away.

He was cut and had a mild concussion. The next day, he said, he had a horrible headache and felt sick.

“I was a little bit shy because I didn’t want to get hit in the head again,” he said. “But I didn’t have any of those feelings today.”

Because of the stitches in his head, he said, he had to wear his helmet looser than normal, which is why it flew off when he was hit by Duncan.

Not so loose was his play in front of the Kings’ net.

“We were in the slot area with many chances,” Jet Coach Dan Maloney said, “but Healy came up with the big plays.”

The Kings tied the game with 5:46 left in the first period on a pretty play by Jim Fox, who took the puck along the right side in the Jets’ zone.

As several Jets did little more than look on, Fox circled around to the other side through the top of the slot, made a move on goaltender Daniel Berthiaume and scored from in close as he skated diagonally back through the slot.

“Everybody must have held up their guys because there was nobody around,” Fox said.

At 3:44 of the second period, the Kings went ahead to stay after a shot by Winnipeg’s Thomas Steen hit the crossbar and kicked out toward the center of the ice. King defenseman Ken Hammond sent the puck into the Winnipeg zone.

Dean Kennedy, emerging from the penalty box, chased it down in the right corner, eluding the Jets’ Mario Marois and sending a centering pass to Taylor, who scored easily from in front.

“He made a really nice play,” Taylor said of Kennedy. “He made a little pivot move to come up with the puck and he gave me a nice pass.”

All that was left was for Healy to shut down the Jets.

“Everybody talks about the importance of the special teams, but goaltending wins for you more than anything else,” Taylor said.

King Notes

Coach Robbie Ftorek, on goaltenders Rollie Melanson and Glenn Healy: “I don’t think either of them has taken the bull by the horns and said, ‘You’ve got to play me every night.’ ” . . . The Kings have allowed two goals or less in only 7 of 51 games. . . . Winnipeg won the season series, 5-3. . . . All-Star center Dale Hawerchuk, who assisted on the Jets’ only goal after being held without a point by the Kings Friday night, has points in 41 of the Jets’ 47 games. . . . Mike Allison, who missed the two-game set because of a groin injury, said he expects to practice today at Quebec City, Canada, where the Kings will play the Quebec Nordiques Tuesday night. . . . Tom Laidlaw sat out for the second straight game with a charley horse. . . . Joe Paterson, traded to the New York Rangers last week in a deal that sent minor leaguers Gord Walker and Mike Siltala to the Kings, had 1 goal and 2 assists in the Rangers’ 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Friday night. In 32 games with the Kings, Paterson had 1 goal and 3 assists.