The Fifth Liners

Today it was announced that Los Angeles Kings backup goalie Ben Scrivens has been traded to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2014 third round draft pick, meanwhile regular goalie Devan Dubnyk has also been traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Matt Hendricks! Trading Scrivens is either a stroke of genius by Edmonton or pure silliness by LA because this player has been one of the finds of the season since he deputised so superbly for regular Kings goalie Jonathan Quick back in November, and so far he holds a record of 7-5-4 with a 1.97 GAA! This also included 10 shutouts and two first star performances (one of which I witnessed against the Rangers at the Garden). Being Quick's backup is a bit like being Petr Cech's number two at Chelsea, which is unless something drastic happens, you don't even consider leaving the bench!  So in that light, this move will give the guy game time, which he is not assured of at LA. But also it weakens the Kings b...

As the 2013/14 season rumbles on, one of the biggest surprises so far is how impressed we've been with some of the back up goaltenders. Usually only rolled out for the easier games, or when the superstar goalie gets injured, the back up usually spends most of his time sat on the bench. Patiently waiting, but never hoping, for something to go wrong. Scrivens, standing guard. Before moving to the LA Kings from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the start of the season, Ben Scrivens had spent most of his professional career so far in the lower leagues. When Jonathan Quick picked up an injury in November, a huge amount of pressure was then shifted to Scrivens' shoulders. He had to step into Quick's Stanley Cup winning skates. Just like The Beatles with Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever, it turned out that the LA Kings had a double a-side between the sticks. Right now both goalies have played 16 games each and despite playing less minutes than Quick; Scrivens has faced m...

It's a good time to be Ben Scrivens . The Canadian goaltender is currently defending the net for the LA Kings while regular first choice Jonathan Quick is out with a strained groin. He's been the back-up man at the back for the Kings since he was picked up in June this year, in a deal which saw Jonathan Bernier head to the leafs. This season so far he's played eight games, conceding seven goals. This gives him a .955% which is the best in the league after Petr Mrazek (who has 1.000% after one game). He also leads the way in shutouts. Three so far and on Monday was named the NHL's first star of the week. Ben Scrivens was an unrestricted free agent when the Toronto Maple Leafs signed him up in 2010, where he played his hockey at the ECHL's Reading Royals and the Toronto Marlies. He played his first NHL game in November 2011. Scrivens started his NHL career with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets and made 38 saves. The LA Kings host the Tampa Bay Li...

After leaving the Kings Vs Sabres game early with an injury, the LA Kings ' main goaltender Jonathan Quick has been sent back to the team's doctors in LA and will likely miss the rest of the New York road trip. The injury, through to be a hamstring or groin strain will keep Quick out for a few games. Ben Scrivens , who took to the ice to replace Quick in the Sabres game will stand between the sticks for the NY Islanders game tonight. Martin Jones has been called up from the AHL's Manchester Monarchs and will back up Scrivens. It's not known when Quick will return to the ice. While this isn't a huge worry for the Kings, who have a great back up in Scrivens, it is possibly a worry for the USA Olympic team, of which Quick is pretty much guaranteed to be the starting goalie. Or maybe he'll run it off and be playing next week. Either way, get well soon.