Rock Posted May 19, 2004 Share Posted May 19, 2004 McKenzie: Richards becoming go-to guy http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp TSN.ca Staff 5/19/2004 It's a good thing the Tampa Bay Lightning are scoring power play goals because the even strength goals are nowhere to be found. It's been 130-plus minutes without an even-strength goal, but the Lightning are still finding ways to get it done. The guy who got things done on the power play in Game Five, was Brad Richards. He beat Robert Esche with a hard slapshot glove-side to go up 2-0, then another one to the stick side to make it 3-0. Call him the "Stealth Superstar" for the Tampa Bay Lightning because Martin St. Louis is going to win the Hart Trophy - he won the Art Ross; Vinny Lecavalier, because he's a physical presence and the way he carries himself and the way he gets into streak scoring gets everybody excited about the potential for this guy. But, the best all-around player for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he has been for a number of years now, is Brad Richards. With five game-winning goals and one game-winning assist in the playoffs, Richards is tied with Calgary's Jarome Iginla with six game-winning points in the postseason. It's too early to get carried away here - the Lightning aren't in the Stanley Cup Final yet, they are one win away - but when you look at potential Conn Smythe trophy candidates, Brad Richards would have to be one of them. In the Western Conference, it takes a great team effort to get where the Calgary Flames are at this point in time, but it also takes a great effort from certain individuals who step up. When you talk about individuals stepping up, no one's done it more than Jarome Iginla for the Calgary Flames. The San Jose Sharks have put themselves in the position of being one great Jarome Iginla performance away from elimination. Is there reason to believe he could do that in Game Six? Of course there is, because he's been doing it throughout the whole playoffs. In the Vancouver series, whether it was fighting Mattias Ohlund or scoring goals in key games; in the Detroit series, he was dropping the gloves and going with Derian Hatcher and scoring key goals. Iginla has done it all for the Calgary Flames. There are no signs of this guy slowing up, at all. He's been a dynamo against the San Jose Sharks and, even in the games he's not dominating, he's been able to do something. Whether it's the nice feed to Montador for the game-winner, or the crucial moment in Game Five when he scored and got the Flames off on the right foot. To a man, the Flames said, "That's what Jarome Iginla does to us. He energizes us." So now the Flames are just one win away. They don't want to get ahead of themselves. They did that once already when they had a 2-0 lead against the San Jose Sharks, but I have a feeling that Jarome Iginla won't allow them to get into that complacent mode that cost the Flames when they lost two games on home ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunkyBlueFish203 Posted May 19, 2004 Share Posted May 19, 2004 Richards has really come along for Tampa. It's great to see the young guys do well and come into their own. In the Detroit series, he [iginla] was dropping the gloves and going with Derian Hatcher and scoring key goals. What key goals? Sorry to burst their bubble, Iginla had 1 goal in the series against Detroit and it was a cheap 5-hole softie Cujo gave up in game 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aylbert Posted May 19, 2004 Share Posted May 19, 2004 Richards has really come along for Tampa. It's great to see the young guys do well and come into their own.In the Detroit series, he [iginla] was dropping the gloves and going with Derian Hatcher and scoring key goals. What key goals? Sorry to burst their bubble, Iginla had 1 goal in the series against Detroit and it was a cheap 5-hole softie Cujo gave up in game 3. Leaving Richards in what seemed to be his own 15 foot circle is also a key... he's got a great shot and when he's facing little pressure it makes it a hellova lot easier... powerplay or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyman28 Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Yea, but in hockey you are not given 15 feet, you earn it, you find it. He has great vision as well. He was an unbelievable junior player and next year will he reach the 90 point plateau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aylbert Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 Yea, but in hockey you are not given 15 feet, you earn it, you find it. He has great vision as well. He was an unbelievable junior player and next year will he reach the 90 point plateau. You dont earn anything off the face off if you sitting way off by yourself... it was the power play, but you dont leave Brad Richards alone, with a clear shot at the net... throw anybody in his shooting lane... anything... Philly fans are b*tchn about their d-corps... While its warranted, D is a team responsibility; not a 6man rotation effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elias Sports Bureau Posted May 20, 2004 Share Posted May 20, 2004 You know the Duhs love Richards more than they love St. Louis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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