Dylan DeMelo scores last-minute goal to give Jets a 2-1 win over Kraken

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Dylan DeMelo scored with 27 seconds left to play to give the Winnipeg Jets a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.

Matty Beniers scored in the first period for Seattle and Mark Scheifele scored a power-play goal for Winnipeg in the second period. Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves and Seattle's Joey Daccord stopped 34 shots.

The Jets stretched their point streak to five games (4-0-1) and improved to 8-2-2 in their last 12.

The Kraken capped a 2-3 road trip.

Scheifele’s power-play goal drew the Jets even at 9:35 of the second. With Jamie Oleksiak off for interference, Scheifele whipped Kyle Connor's rebound past Daccord.

Hellebuyck kept it a 1-1 game when he stopped Andre Burakovsky on a breakaway late in the second.

Beniers opened the scoring midway through the opening period when he converted a perfect pass from Kaapo Kakko on Hellebuyck’s doorstep.

Jets: Outplayed in the opening period, Winnipeg came alive in the second, outshooting Seattle 20-8.

Kraken: Showed no signs of fatigue in the last of a five-game road trip. The Kraken were all over the Jets in the first period when they scored first and outshot Winnipeg 11-8. But the Jets kept putting the pressure on in the last two periods.

DeMelo’s goal set up by Nikolaj Ehlers.

The Jets outshot Seattle 36-19.

The Jets host the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

The Kraken return home to play the Los Angeles Kings, also on Saturday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Winnipeg Jets' Alex Iafallo (9) looks for a rebound off Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord, left, during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Seattle Kraken's Jamie Oleksiak (24) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Nino Niederreiter (62) as Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) watches the puck during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Seattle Kraken's Jamie Oleksiak (24) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Nino Niederreiter (62) as Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) watches the puck during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Seattle Kraken's Matty Beniers (10) defends against Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) in front of Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey (44) and Mark Scheifele (55) celebrate after Scheifele's goal against the Seattle Kraken during second-period NHL hockey game action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)