The puck went in, the red light went on, and Brad Richards breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally netting his first goal as a Detroit Red Wing during Saturday’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators, Richards admitted that the moment was cathartic.
“It was getting a little annoying,… Richards said. “As long as you’ve been around, and you go home and tell yourself tomorrow is a new day, it still eats at you.…
“The good thing is since I’ve been back we haven’t really lost a game in regulation, so you’re not pressing as much as you could be.…
Without a goal into December, absent for 13 games due to a back ailment, some were beginning to mockingly refer to Richards as “Weiss 2.0… in reference to Stephen Weiss, the last free-agent center signed by the Wings prior to the acquisition of Richards this past summer.
Weiss endured two injury-plagued, relatively unproductive campaigns before his contract was bought out last summer, opening up a spot for the addition of Richards.
Even though the puck wasn’t going in for him, the veteran mind inside the 35-year-old Richards kept reminding him that things were going well for the most part and it was just a matter of time.
“To be honest with you, I’ve felt quite confident a lot of games, getting really good looks,… Richards said. “It’s bad sometimes when you go in those games and you don’t touch the puck for a couple games, that’s not fun.
“In my head the percentages are something was going to happen.…
When the moment came, it was a completely surprising outcome. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne made a pad save on a shot by Richards, but the rebound banked off the leg of Predators captain Shea Weber and into the net.
“Obviously the way it happened, of course it’s going to happen that way after some of the chances I’ve had,… Richards laughed. “Just keep plugging. The good thing about goals, a lot of times you get one and you see the ice more, feel faster, feel better, you hold the puck more and that’s the main thing, my confidence going that way.…
Among those who wasn’t worried at all about Richards was Detroit coach Jeff Blashill, not that he wasn’t happy to see his veteran forward finally pot one.
“I don’t care how long you’ve been around, it feels good to score, it feels good to (get a point),… Blashill said. “It makes you feel good about yourself and gives you more confidence.
“I think Richards has been an incredible pro, I think he’s done a great job adding to our culture here. I thought he’s played two real good games in a row.…
Every Day Their Shuffling Blashill opted to mix up his lines at Monday’s practice and indicated that would be the way they’d start for Tuesday’s game at Washington against the Capitals.
The Dylan Larkin-Henrik Zetterberg-Justin Abdelkader unit and the Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist trio remain intact. Richards will skate on the wing with Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm, while Joakim Andersson, Luke Glendening and Tomas Jurco will comprise another line.
“We kind of ended the game they way that they practiced today,… Blashill said. “I think it will be the same lineup, though.
“I’ll make a decision on the goalie tomorrow.…
The Wings don’t plan on recalling anyone from Grand Rapids prior to Tuesday’s game, even though the team has just 12 healthy forwards.
“We’re going to go with the 12 that played (Saturday),… Blashill said. “I don’t want to call somebody up just to sit in the stands. That doesn’t do anybody any good.
“Right now we’ll take it day by day. We’ll wake up tomorrow, we’ll play the group we’ve got and then we’ll make a decision after tomorrow night.…
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