Lewis becoming lineup regular?

Somewhat quietly, Trevor Lewis has become a lineup regular for the Kings. Lewis was a healthy scratch in 10 of the Kings’ first 13 games, but has since played in 27 consecutive games, mostly as the fourth-line center, and for the season Lewis has two goals and three assists in 30 games. Moreover, though, Terry Murray has shown his trust in Lewis by including Lewis in his penalty-kill unit. For Lewis, a first-round pick of the Kings in 2006, this is his first extended opportunity to show his wares at the NHL level. Given that Murray said today that he wants Kevin Westgarth to play against Columbus and Toronto, and that Alexei Ponikarovsky is set to return, it’s possible that Lewis might be looking at a healthy-scratch situation in the near future. Here’s what Murray said about Lewis’ recent play…

MURRAY: “Some games, he’s very effective. He carries the puck with a lot of speed. He can get the team out of trouble, in its own end, because of his puck-carrying ability and speed. Then there’s other games where he shows his inexperience in that area and has a difficult time. But we like what he brings, in that he’s an honest player. He really cares about becoming a good hockey player. He has speed, he has quickness. He can do a good job on the forecheck, to stir up loose pucks, and he’s a very effective penalty-killer. He’s been good for us in that area all year long. But it’s that consistency, in high-level performance, that we want to have from him. That’s typical of a young player. We just have to keep demanding it and pushing it, and I think as we get into the final part of the season, he can give us what we need from him every night.”