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EL SEGUNDO, CA — To say that versatile Los Angeles Kings forward Trevor Lewis is making the most of his opportunities lately might be the understatement of the season for the Kings.
Lewis is known for his prowess on defense, killing penalties, and in play along the boards. But even though he’s not exactly lighting up the National Hockey League, scoring goals in bunches, he has set career highs in goals and points with nine goals and ten assists for 19 points.
Lewis’ ten assists matches a career high.
Lewis also set a career high for points in one game with a three-point performance (goal, two assists) in the Kings’ 5-2 win at Edmonton on March 3, while playing on a line with left wing Marian Gaborik and center Anze Kopitar.
“Playing with those two, they’re two unreal players,” said Lewis. “My biggest focus is getting them the puck, and getting to the net, or getting open. When I do that, good things happen.”
Indeed. The Kings are 7-1-0 in games in which Lewis has played on a line with Gaborik and Kopitar.
“It’s big, just to get a chance to play with them,” Lewis noted. “Playing with Kopi, he’s always [supporting the play]. You’ve always got him open, and he’s so big and strong. Most guys want you to come and help them when they’ve got the puck in the corner. But he’s so strong, he can hold guys off. He just tells you to get open. It’s nice to play with him.”
When asked if he was aware that he had set a new personal best for points in a game, Lewis indicated that he had not given the subject any thought, but that it had to be a new career high.
“I would think so,” he observed. “I don’t really keep track of that. But [on the] first goal, Kopi made a great play. Even on Kopi’s goal, that shot was pretty unreal. I’ve just got to get open and get to the net. Good things will happen.”
Perhaps most noticeable among the “good things” Lewis was referring to was that the Kings established a strong forecheck in the Oilers’ zone from the opening minutes of the game, and Lewis’ line had a lot to do with that.
“We got puck into the right areas on our forecheck, and when we can establish our forecheck like that, we’re really good, and really effective on it,” he noted. “A big key to establishing our forecheck was breaking [their forecheck] and being quick out of our zone so we had a lot more energy in their zone.”
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