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Richards Finding Form Early

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 19, 2007

Updated: 11/19/2007 12:13 am

Normally around the 20-game mark of the season, Brad Richards often sits at his locker stall fielding questions about why he's experiencing yet another stutter start to the season.

On Sunday, after Richards came off the ice following practice in preparation for tonight's 20th game of the season in Atlanta, the tone of the questioning wasn't quite the same as his previous seasons.

Richards is off to his best start through 19 games and is on pace for a career high in goals and right on pace to match his career best in points. And while the point production is a big part of Richards' game, it's not the sole indicator of how he's playing.

In watching Richards on the ice this season, he looks quicker, he looks stronger, he appears to have more confidence and seems more intense, noticeable in his fight Wednesday against Carolina's Justin Williams that left him with a cut on his lip.

"I feel a lot better, I do," Richards said. "Sometimes you can't control the points and it would be nice to bury a few more chances, but overall I feel way better, way stronger so I feel a lot more confident going into this part of the season. Whether or not my start - and I think it's been a good start and that's obviously going to help - but I feel different and I feel a lot better than I did last year."

Lightning coach John Tortorella said the difference Richards makes night in and out often goes without fanfare, whether the points are there or not. His ice time, leading the league among forwards at 24:40 per game, dictates how important he - along with Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier - is each game.

"He's a guy who is put into so many situations and does so many things for us, he's a huge part of our team and sometimes he gets left behind because he's not the flash and dash," Tortorella said. "He's not Marty St. Louis and he's not Vinny Lecavalier, and although he's one of the big three, he doesn't get noticed as much. But he's the stabilizer."

Tortorella refers to Richards as a stabilizer because the center often gets called on to take on the other team's top offensive line, runs a point position on the power play, is generally the first over the boards to kill a penalty, on the ice in the final minute of a tight game and is often called upon to take defensive zone faceoffs.

But ultimately when it comes down to critiquing his game, Richards often gets judge by how he produces on offense. Last year the point production wasn't there as his 70 points were his lowest total since 2001-02 and was the first year his point total dropped from the previous year.

One reason Richards' point totals dropped by 21 points was the lack of a consistent finisher on his wings. And though only eight of his 21 points (38 percent) this season have come at even strength - 50 percent of his points last year came at even strength - the early going this year doesn't have the feel of last year when wingers were rotated in and off the line.

This year, though Jan Hlavac only has three goals, Richards and his linemates have been a consistent threat. The feeling is it's only a matter of time before the dam breaks and the goals start piling up. And when that does, the Lightning - already leading the league with an average of 3.42 goals per game - will become that much more of a dangerous team.

"I think Jan has played really well out there and I'm sure he wants to bury a few more chances," Richards said. "But he's getting himself into good areas so I think it's just a matter of time. And Michel Ouellet is starting to come on ... so the five-on-five is something we want to work on. We have to get the line going."

Tortorella said the skill of Hlavac will begin to come through in a way that no winger was able to do on a consistent basis last year. And with Richards looking stronger to start the season than perhaps at any other time in his career, this year doesn't look like it will be another down year.

"He's played some really good hockey for us and he does so many things well for this team," Tortorella said. "He's come in with a great mental approach, perhaps better than any time since I have coached him."

PRAGUE UPDATE: While the Lightning are still on track to open next season in Prague, Czech Republic, things reportedly have changed on that front.

A report on the New York Daily News Web site Sunday suggested that the league is looking at sending four teams to Europe to start the season with the Lightning opening a two-game series against the New York Rangers in Prague while Tampa Bay's first reported opponent, Pittsburgh, would open against Ottawa in Stockholm, Sweden.

Lightning president Ron Campbell couldn't confirm the report Sunday, but word is the league is leaning this way with a possible announcement to outline the details still weeks away.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835 or eerlendsson@tampatrib.com.

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