P.E.I.'s Brad Richards heads into Western Conference final
CHARLES REID The Guardian
By now fear doesn’t seem like much of a factor for Brad Richards and his Dallas Stars teammates as it opens the NHL’s Western Conference final tonight versus the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit.
The best-of-seven series winner goes to the Stanley Cup final. TSN will broadcast game one beginning at 8:30 p.m. AT.
After all, fear of exiting the playoffs is something Dallas has dealt with since round one. So far, it’s knocked off the defending champ Anaheim Ducks and the second-seeded and heir apparent San Jose Sharks.
“We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing all through the playoffs and that’s not worrying about our opponent. We’ve been the underdog in every series,” said Richards from Dallas on Wednesday. “Sometimes it’s easier to start on the road. You go in with (an) us-against-the-world mentality.”
But it won’t be easy against the very good, very consistent Wings, which led the NHL standings from day one of the season and finished with 115 points.
Hot Stars’ goaltender Marty Turco has been awful in Detroit throughout the years, going 0-7-2 in Detroit. Overall, he’s 2-10-5. Richards has eight points in 11 career regular season games against the Red Wings, but has never faced Detroit in the playoffs. And he’s a little cold with just two assists in Dallas’ last four games against the Sharks, despite good chances. Dallas, as a whole averaged a touch over two goals a game versus San Jose.
So ask Richards, a Murray Harbour native, how to counter Detroit’s talent and speed and the recent acquisition from the Tampa Bay Lightning goes into team-player mode.
“We have talent and speed, too. Obviously, Detroit is a great team and they’re always in the top two or three teams in the regular season every year because of their puck protection and how much talent they have and how they play the game, but we’re a good team, too,” said Richards. “We have to guard against watching them play and worrying about how good they are. We have to just do what we do and try to dictate the game the way we want to dictate it and make them adjust.”
And, he’s got the underdog mentality down pat.
“That comes from within. We all believe we’re as good as anyone in the league, especially when you get down to the final four. Anyone can win the Cup now. There’s a lot of luck involved and injuries and (various) things. If you count Detroit, probably (Anaheim and San Jose were) the three teams everybody picked to win the Cup. It’s exciting, it’s fun, but we also know it’s a big challenge.”
Richards, a former Lightning third-round pick in 1998, already has one Lord Stanley’s prize from his Tampa days (2004). The 28-year-old forward signed a five-year, $39 million contract two seasons ago. But a fading Tampa team, hungry for more talent and loaded down with high-cost players, and Dallas’ need for another top-line centre meant things were ripe for a deal.
So the Stars shipped goalie Mike Smith, winger Jeff Halpern and Jussi Jokinen and a 2009 draft pick to the Florida city for Richards and netminder Johan Holmqvist.
Richards, who finished with 62 points in 74 games with Tampa and Dallas this season, had five assists in his first game with the Stars and gave the team the centreman it needed for the Cup push.
Richards said it’s been an easy transition and, with the age of free agents dropping to 27-years-old next season, it’s likely to be the new NHL norm.
“This isn’t a rental situation. I’m here for three more years. It wasn’t like I was disrupting much. Sometimes (with) rental players everybody knows that they’re only here a month or two and they’re trying to fit them in. They’ve accepted me with open arms. It’s a good mix. I’m still young and they’ve got some good young core players here. It’s probably going to be like that more and more often now that the NHL free agent age is down . . . so there’s going to be more trades with younger guys.”
His time in Dallas already has had its share of interesting on-ice moments. None stranger than its series-winning, quadruple-overtime victory over the Sharks in game six in Dallas on Sunday.
“It’s weird leaving the rink at 3:30 in the morning after a game. I’ve been in a three-overtime game before, but that was the first four overtime game. I don’t know how you’d regroup if you had to go back to San Jose. It would have been tough.”
Pesky Stars winger and Summerside-born Steve Ott, who recently signed a two-year, $2.85 million contract, has also never faced Detroit in the playoffs.
The Eastern Conference matchup sees Pittsburgh tangle with Philadelphia. It starts Friday.
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Detroit in 5 from PEI writes: Brad Richards will do a great job for Dallas, but Detroit has 4 rock solid lines that should churn out 4 wins before Dallas does. It will probably be Detroit and Pittsburgh in the final.
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why only now from pei writes: i'm glad hes with Dallas Stars now evan tho i did get to see the stanly cup last year but that was not the team he was ment to be on peace out
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Dallas in 6 from Prince edward island writes: i think dallas will do a awsome job, i think they get beat them,:) go brad go. you will do great
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BOB DOLE from PEI writes: It's funny how everyone jumps ship when a certain Island player changes teams.
everyone was a Lightning fan now they are are all Stars fans.
What a joke.
and what about Steve Ott?
Flyers are the 2008 Stanley Cup Champs.
oh and the Canadiens are gone.
one more thing.
(hey why only now from pei) where did you learn to spell?
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Hillary from Clinton writes: Lisen folks, and all you Brad Richards bandwagoners...the Stars haven't won on Detroit in the last 9 attempts, and that was with your hero Turco in tow. Do you seriously think that your beloved will make the difference in this series?? NOT! Philly vs. Wings. get used to it.
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Ryan from Malta writes: Hey. I'm not a Brad Richards/Dallas Stars fan. But for this years playoffs, Hunter's Ale House is donating something like $100 for every goal that he scores this playoffs to benefit Autism charities. Even if you don't like him or the Stars to lose, at least hope that he scores a whole bunch. If you look on facebook there is even a group dedicated to this cause. I hope that everyone goes and takes a look.
And no. I am not a shill.
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an Islander in from Hamilton, ON writes: Bob Dole.... perhaps you could give
(hey why only now from pei) some of your free time, help him/her learn to spell/type.. perhaps he/she is not as fortunate or well educated as you!
I hope Brad scores often, and it's wonderful that Hunter's is giving $ to charity.. they know how to give to those less fortunate! Best of luck cousin Brad :)
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Bob from NS writes: You know it's nice of hunters to do such a thing... But Brad doesn't score much. What would be better, is if they gave a 100 dollars every time he got an assist, which he usually has a lot of.
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To Hillary from PEI writes: I think your quoted stat was very similar to the one Habs fans were tossing around before the Philly series. They havent lost to em all season. This is the playoffs and a completely different game. I am not calling this series but it sure cant hurt Dallas to have another North American player. It seems the imports are not so into playoff hockey. I hope the wings don't get homesick !
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Dave from PEI writes: As far as this Richards bandwagoner is concerned, the Wings are definitely the heavy favourite. No one thought the Stars would win either of their first two series, and maybe this is where Dallas' run ends. Detroit definitely has the talent, do they have the will?
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Go Wings from PEI writes: The Red Wings will beat the pants off a wannabe hockey town in a sunny baseball/football land called Texas.
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Hillary from Clinton writes: Take that! Dallas!
Wings all the way...get used to it!!
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Take That Hillary Clinton from PE writes: Hey Hillary...
Nothing better to do in life then come on her to rub things in?
GET A LIFE!!!
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