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MONTREAL -- Its Brad Richards turn to be the old hand, tutoring his young New York Rangers teammates on what its like to win a Stanley Cup. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen Bayern Munich Jersey . It wasnt like that in 2004, when Richards and teammate Martin St. Louis won the Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. "This whole playoffs its been fun to do that," the 34-year-old Richards said Tuesday. "When I was in Tampa, Marty also, we didnt really have a clue what we were doing. "We were first time through it, leaning on other people, older people, asking them all the questions. Its fun to try to gather the group and talk about things. This group has come together so much and they ask a lot of questions. They make fun of us a lot for doing that, too, but its fun to try to help out that way." The Rangers are two wins away from a trip to the Stanley Cup final after taking the opening two games of the NHL Eastern Conference final from the Canadiens in Montreal. They swamped the flat-footed Canadiens 7-2 in the series opener on Monday afternoon, but then needed a 40-save effort from goalie Henrik Lundqvist to pull out a 3-1 win in a major Montreal push-back on Monday night. Game 3 is set for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. In 2004, the Canadiens came back to beat Boston in the opening round but then were swept by the Lightning. This year, Montreal is again coming off a Game 7 win over the Bruins and is in danger of losing in four straight to the Rangers. That has Richards, a P.E.I. native who played junior hockey in Quebec with the 2000 Memorial Cup champion Rimouski Oceanic, and Montreal native St. Louis at 6-0 in career playoff games against the Canadiens. Their message to teammates who havent won a Cup is to not let the opportunity slip away. "Weve been to the conference final twice in three years, thats very rare," said Richards. "Look at teams around the league that you think are going to have chances to win Cups every year and it just doesnt happen. "Its very tough. I havent been back to a final since 04. I just try to hammer that stuff home." And despite taking the first two games on enemy ice, the conference final is far from over even if Montreals star goalie Carey Price is out with a suspected right knee injury for the rest of the series. The Canadiens had the puck most of the first period on Monday but came out of it down 2-1 due to an unlucky bounce on a shot from the red-hot Ryan McDonagh and blast on the rush from Rick Nash that was perhaps third-string goalie Dustin Tokarskis only big mistake. Montreal will no doubt come out hard again in Game 3. "Im sure they have more," said Richards. "And you dont always roll the dice that your goalies going to stop all those shots. "They could come with less and score two goals. You just never know. But youve got to give yourself an opportunity and thats by holding onto pucks and getting it down the other end. We did that in Game 1, but in Game 2... youre playing with fire is what Im trying to say." Montreal coach Michel Therrien said his team is confident it can still win the series if it gives up fewer odd-man rushes and keeps up the fast-paced game it brought on Monday night. "I believe that we will turn it around," said Therrien. "Yes, the first game was tough for us emotionally and physically. "We didnt get much time between Game 7 (against Boston) and Game 1 (against the Rangers), and it was an afternoon game. It shows in the result. But I thought we regrouped really well. We were a team that played with a lot of energy, that was pushing the pace, and we played a solid game." Therrien spoke to the media on a conference call while his players took what he said was a much-needed day off. They will practice on Tuesday before flying to New York. "The only thing that were going to focus on is to make sure weve got another solid game in New York," he said. "You get one win and after that, the momentum can change really quickly in the playoffs." There is also the chance of fatigue setting in on the Rangers, whose first two rounds went seven games each. Therrien touched off a debate by giving Tokarski his first NHL playoff start over regular backup Peter Budaj, who let in three goals on eight shots after subbing for Price in the third period of the series opener. It seemed like a hunch. The 24-year-old Tokarski, who has played only 10 NHL regular season games over five years with Tampa Bay and Montreal, has a history of winning championships at the junior and AHL levels, while Budaj has a career 0-2-0 NHL playoff record. It appeared Therrien will stick with Tokarski, at least for Game 3. He said Tokarski played well and wasnt the reason they lost. He also liked what he saw of Alex Galchenyuk, who missed the final two games of the regular season and the first 12 playoff games with a knee problem. The gifted forward taken third overall in the 2012 draft skated on left wing on the second line with Tomas Plekanec and Thomas Vanek. "For a guy that hadnt played for six weeks, I thought he did well," said Therrien. "Especially because this is not regular season pace, this is a playoff pace. "I thought Alex was capable, made some plays. The more the series goes on, the more were going to see Alex get better and better." It should be a happy homecoming for Rangers sniper Nash, who was without a goal in the playoffs and endured some booing in New York before the team got to Montreal. Then he scored in each of the first two games. "Ive tried to stay positive through this whole thing," said Nash. "The teams winning, and thats all I care about. "But I want to do what I can to help the team win, and its frustrating when you cant help offensively and youre supposed to." After Game 2, coach Alain Vigneault said he had an inkling that Montreal would start Tokarski, who he referred to as "that gentleman." Asked if he had another inkling for Game 3, Vigneault said: "I do, but Im not willing to share it with you." Renato Sanches Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. Thiago Alcantara Jersey . Indeed, must be among the greatest challenges in all of sports. The pressure he applies, from set to set, game to game, point to point, shot to shot.(SportsNetwork.com) - Barry Trotzs highly anticipated return to Music City is on tap Friday as the Nashville Predators welcome their former longtime head coach and his Washington Capitals to Bridgestone Arena. Trotz served 15 seasons as head coach in Nashville, beginning with the franchises inaugural campaign in 1998-99, until parting ways with the club last spring. He amassed 557 wins in 1,196 regular-season games with the Predators, but was let go after Nashville missed the playoffs for a second straight season. Trotz had led Nashville to the postseason in seven of the previous eight campaigns. Im excited, Trotz said in a conference call earlier this week. Im excited to get back home and see some friends, and I get to see my family for a little bit. Its good to get to go back home. Nashvilles decision to part ways with the only head coach it had ever known has proved beneficial for both Trotz and Peter Laviolette, the man who took his place behind the Predators bench. Laviolette was tasked with transitioning the Preds from Trotzs defense-first style to a more up-tempo strategy and to say it has been a success would be an enormous understatement. Nashville, which is tied with Anaheim for the most points in the NHL this season, has gone from an average of 2.61 goals per game in 2013-14 to 3.00 goals per game this season, and it has done so while somehow improving on defense. The Preds were 23rd in the league in team defense (2.84 GPG) in Trotzs last season in Music City and are currently first with only 2.17 goals surrendered per contest. The Preds have yet to lose consecutive games under Laviolette, but Trotzs Capitals have been no slouch either. It took a little longer for Trotz to successfully implement his style of play in D.C., but Alex Ovechkin and his Washington teammates are thriving under the system now. The Caps enter Fridays action third in the Metropolitan Division. They are three points behind the first-place New York Islanders and two in back of the Pittsburgh Penguins for second. The Isles and Pens face each other tonight on Long Island. Washington is 6-0-1 this month and only has suffered one regulation loss over its last 19 trips to the ice, going 14-1-4 during that stretch. The Caps only loss in January came in a 3-2 overtime setback in Philadelphia on Jan. 8, but Trotzs club exacted revenge for that defeat with a 1-0 home win over the Flyers on Wednesday. Ivan Lucic Bayern Munich Jersey. It was Washingtons third straight victory. Braden Holtby recorded his 15th career shutout by stopping all 21 shots sent his way on Wednesday. It was Holtbys fourth shutout of the season in his 20th straight start between the pipes for the Caps. Jason Chimera supplied the necessary offense early in the first period for the Capitals. Holtby expects to get the call tonight and he won his only career outing against the Preds, stopping 34-of-36 shots in a 5-2 home victory on Dec. 7 of last season. Justin Peters will give Holtby a rare rest on Saturday, when Washington visits the Dallas Stars. Nashville, meanwhile, will be without its franchise goaltender for the next few weeks. Pekka Rinne, a candidate for the Hart and Vezina Trophies, is expected to be sidelined with a sprained knee until after the NHLs All-Star festivities, which takes place next weekend in Columbus. Rinne has posted a 29-6-2 record in 37 games this season while sporting a 1.96 goals against average and .931 save percentage. Carter Hutton, who is 0-3-2 with a 2.60 GAA in six games this season, will start tonight with AHL call-up Marek Mazanec serving as the backup. Rinne stopped 20-of-21 shots on Tuesday before exiting Nashvilles eventual 5-1 victory over Vancouver early in the third period. The Finnish netminder was knocked backwards into the end boards in a collision between Vancouvers Chris Higgins and defenseman Anton Volchenkov. Hutton finished the final 17-plus minutes with 10 stops. They came right away, I didnt have much chance to get ready, said Hutton. Thats your job as a backup, always be ready to go out there at any minute of the game. Colin Wilson registered a season high of four points thanks to two goals and two assists to help the Preds rout the visiting Canucks. Craig Smith, Filip Forsberg and Mike Fisher also tallied for Nashville, which has won four in a row and six of its last seven. Nashville, which owns a four-point lead over Chicago for first place in the Central Division, is 17-2-1 as the host this season and is completing a brief two-game homestand tonight. The Caps and Preds have split the last four meetings in this series, but Washington has claimed seven of nine overall. Nashville has taken the past two encounters at Bridgestone Arena. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall