Brad Richards leads New York Rangers past Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 -NHL Update
Brad Richards was the deciding factor for New York in their matchup against Carolina as the superstar centre scored two goals, leading Rangers past the Hurricanes, 4-2, Tuesday night, March 13, 2012, at the sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York, New
York.
New York head coach, John Tortorella, was trying something new by starting Brad Richards, a mismatched Marian Gaborik and a new addition with Carl Hagelin, which in the end worked magic for the Rangers.
"I don't know if it's going to work," Tortorella said. "In some of the shifts in the last month or so when we put them together after a penalty kill and all that, I thought there was something going on. So, you never know. Ritchie and Gabby at the beginning
of the year, there was no chance. You could see that right away. But you never know when it's going to click."
After having lost four out of five matchups, the top Eastern Conference team was forced to try something new with the fear of losing their position close to the playoffs as other teams close in on the upper ranks.
Marian Gaborik grabbed his 34th of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season 3:02 into round-one. Brad Richards scored two straight nearly three minutes apart in the next followed by a goal from Tim Brent on the power play for
Carolina’s first and Drayson Bowman less than a minute later.
Two straight from Carolina in the later part of the second period made it a one point game for the Hurricanes entering the final 20 minutes of regulations but Carl Hagelin’s only of the period secured the match for the home team.
Richards was a little slow in the past games but now thinks he has the confidence needed to win some matchups before the season comes to an end.
"I'm feeling a lot better," Richards said. "It's always nice when things go in. That helps how you feel and how you come to the rink. It's nice to help the team, and get rewarded for some of the plays we are making."
Rangers look hot on a two-game winning streak and could down a confident Pittsburgh Penguins team and spoil Sidney Crosby’s return on Thursday.
Carolina has the next at home against a tough St. Louis Blues team on the same day.
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