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Scrivens, Kings host rematch with Devils

Nov 21, 2013 - 4:17 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Kings are going to need to count on goaltender Ben Scrivens for a while longer, but that might not end up being a bad thing.

Just ask the New Jersey Devils.

The Kings try to extend their winning streak on Thursday night with a second victory this season over the Devils.

Scrivens has been in net for all four wins, taking over the starting role when Jonathan Quick suffered a Grade 2 groin strain in a shootout loss in Buffalo on Nov. 12. The Kings announced on Wednesday that Quick is expected to be sidelined for another month, putting his possible return sometime around Christmas.

It will be Scrivens manning the pipes until then and he has been up to the task in his first season with Los Angeles since being acquired this past offseason in a deal with Toronto that sent netminder Jonathan Bernier to the Maple Leafs.

Scrivens has posted a 1.00 goals against average and .963 saver percentage over the four-game winning streak, which included back-to-back shutouts of the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.

The 27-year-old then logged a perfect first period on Tuesday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning before giving up a goal with 3:43 to play in the second frame. That ended his shutout streak at 191 minutes, 19 seconds and he ended with 19 saves in a 5-2 win.

"I want to win more than I want shutouts," said Scrivens. "I am happy that we won. Guys scored some big goals for us, so that is the most important thing. That should be the story tonight."

Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams and Matt Frattin each posted a goal and an assist, while Dustin Brown and Dwight King added goals to help Los Angeles move to 6-0-1 in its last seven games.

Scrivens posted a 26-save shutout versus the Devils on Nov. 15 in his first ever meeting with the club. That game marked the first time New Jersey and Los Angeles squared off since the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, won in six games by the Kings.

The Kings have now won four of their past six regular-season meetings with the Devils following that 2-0 victory. King had the winning goal and Kopitar added an empty-net tally.

Cory Schneider started that game for the Devils and took yet another tough- luck loss. He stopped 19 of 20 shots faced and is 1-5-3 in nine starts this season despite an excellent 1.98 GAA and .918 save percentage.

Schneider is 2-1-0 with a 1.01 GAA and one shutout in three all-time games versus the Kings and is in line to start tonight after veteran Martin Brodeur made 22 saves in last night's 4-3 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks.

Travis Zajac was credited with the game-winner 1:58 into the bonus frame after the Ducks put the puck into their own net when Ben Lovejoy's clear attempt hit off teammate Corey Perry's skate and into the goal.

Veteran Jaromir Jagr forced overtime on his eighth goal of the season with 1:01 left in regulation, putting home the rebound of Patrik Elias' wraparound attempt.

"We had the puck under control behind the net," Jagr said of his game-tying goal. "I was just waiting in front of the net. Sometimes the puck doesn't come. This time it came and I had an open net."

Elias finished with three assists for the Devils, who have won four of their last five games and are 5-1-1 in the past seven.

Brodeur won his fifth straight start, giving up six goals and posting two shutouts in that span. He is 7-3-2 on the season in 12 starts with a 2.06 GAA and .915 save percentage.

New Jersey won the opener of a three-game swing out west and concludes the trek on Saturday in San Jose.