Scrivens gets another shutout, Kings blank Rangers
NEW YORK -- You can start calling Los Angeles goalie Ben Scrivens "King of the Road."
Scrivens recorded his third shutout of the season and second straight, all away from home, leading the Los Angeles Kings to a 1-0 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
Scrivens, who was undrafted out of Cornell in the Ivy League, stopped 37 shots while improving to 4-1-1 on the season. He is yet to start a home game for Los Angeles (14-6-1) this season.
He blanked the New Jersey Devils 2-0 on Friday night.
The 27-year-old Scrivens, who played 16 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season before getting traded to Los Angeles over the summer, was thrust into the starting role when Jonathan Quick suffered a groin injury Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres in the Kings' first game of a four-game road trip.
Scrivens has gone 156 minutes, 2 seconds without allowing a goal over three games since Aaron Ness of the New York Islanders scored in the second period of the Kings' 3-2 win on Thursday.
His best save of the night occurred six minutes into the third period when he stopped Mats Zuccarello's shot off a rebound in front with his right arm.
"It's only two games," Scrivens said of his shutout streak. "I wouldn't look too much into it. I'm just trying to go out and give our team a chance to win."
The Rangers (10-10-0) played their second game in as many nights. They blanked the Canadiens 1-0 in Montreal on Saturday night.
New York was 0-for-5 on power plays.
Tyler Toffoli gave the Kings the only goal they needed at 1:23 of the second period. The rookie center received a pass from center Mike Richards and sent a bouncing shot from just inside the right point that went past Henrik Lundqvist, who was screened by his own defenseman Anton Stralman in front.
The goal was Toffoli's fourth of the season, all in the past five games.
"I was wide open so as soon as I got it I fired it on net and good things happen when you do that," Toffoli said.
The Rangers appeared to tie the game with just under three minutes to play. However, the officials ruled center Dominic Moore directed the puck into the net with his skate in a scrum in front of the net, so the goal was disallowed.
"We did a good job of tying up his (Moore) stick, so all he had left to work with was his feet," Scrivens said.
The Rangers weren't able to break through in the second period despite being on the power play for 5:10 straight, including two brief 5-on-3 advantages.
"We have to do better on the 5-on-3s," said Rangers forward Derek Stepan. "We had good looks though. I know some people don't see that all the time, but we had the looks we were looking for, we just couldn't find a way to get one by them."
Scrivens was sharp in the first period, stopping 11 shots. Los Angeles didn't have many scoring chances in the opening period as the Rangers blocked nine shots, three by center Brian Boyle.
Lundqvist finished with 29 saves. He has held opponents to two or fewer goals in eight of his 14 starts, including six of his last eight games since returning from injury in the home opener against Montreal on Oct. 28.
NOTES: Rangers F Rick Nash, out since Oct. 8 with a concussion, skated for the eighth straight day and with the team for the third time in as many days. He is aiming to return to the lineup Tuesday or Thursday. ... The Rangers held opponents to two or fewer goals in nine straight games from Oct. 24 to Nov. 7, allowing 1.54 goals per game while going 6-3. It was New York's longest such streak since Feb. 20 1971 through March 18, 1971. ... Kings G Ben Scrivens has stopped 86 of 88 shots the past three games. ... Los Angeles D Jake Muzzin and D Drew Doughty have a combined five goals and 15 assists. ... Rangers D Michael Del Zotto was a healthy scratch. He was replaced by D Justin Falk, who returned to the lineup Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens after not dressing in the previous 11 games. ... New York RW Derek Dorsett played in his 300th NHL game. ... Kings C Mike Richards, who assisted on Toffoli's goal, has 10 points in seven games and 13 in 12 contests.
