All the hoopla before Game 4 between the Rangers and Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Thursday revolved around New York coach John Tortorella's decision to make Brad Richards a healthy scratch.
Richards is making $12 million this year, but only has one goal in the playoffs. He's also a Conn Smythe Trophy winner, AND won the Cup with Torts as his coach when the two were with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
Oh, the drama! But maybe Torts was right after all. The loud-mouthed coach finally got his Rangers in check to get a win against the Bruins. The Rangers won 4-3 in overtime to avoid being swept.
After the game, the Richards situation came up again and the coach got fired up and emotional. He said he loved Richards and then he told the media to "kiss his a**."
Definitely the highlight of the night.
What the Tuukka?
Trailing three games to none in the series, the Rangers were desperately in need of a break. Thanks to Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask they got a big one in Game 4.
You don’t see this very often but the netminder actually tripped himself while backing up trying to make a save on Carl Hagelin and the puck just slid on by.
Check out the video:
Quick making history at fast pace
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick already brought the franchise its first Stanley Cup. On Thursday night he made some more history.
With a shutout win over the Sharks, Quick earned his 27th playoff win with LA and surpassed Kelly Hrudey for the team record.
Hrudey, who is now a broadcaster with CBC, was big in LA when he led the team to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final (and for his sweet blue bandana, see photo).
"What Kelly meant to this organization 20 years ago was pretty impressive," Quick told NHL.com. "Everything he accomplished here and over the past few years. I've gotten a chance to know him and he's a great guy, loves hockey. I remember watching him when I was growing up, he was very competitive and hated to lose.
"Being able to pass him on that list, it's an accomplishment but wins are team accomplishments, so you got to give credit to the guys you play with."
But Quick did do a lot of work all on his own on Thursday.
Captain Serious seriously flustered
The Chicago Blackhawks are the West’s top seed. Now it appears they are going Blackhawk Down fast, and their captain Jonathan Toews is leading the way in a bad way.
Toews, known as Captain Serious for his dry personality, took three consecutive penalties in the second period of Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
That’s seriously not OK.
Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.
Toews’ Hawks are now down 3-1 in the series to the seventh-seeded Wings and head back home for Game 5 on Saturday.
I wanna ride the Zamboni
Detroit Lions defensive star Ndamukong Suh may have become the biggest human to ever ride an NHL Zamboni on Thursday.
Suh, who is listed as 6-foot-4, 307 pounds, was seatbelted in for a quick spin around Joe Louis Arena while the Wings hosted the Blackhawks.
Suh seemed to enjoy himself, waving his rally towel throughout.
Kings put own attack on Sharks
During the Kings 3-0 Game 5 victory on Thursday at Staples Center one stat stood out that doesn't make the scoresheet.
Hits.
The defending Stanley Cup champions out-hit the Sharks 51-24. It's hard to win a game when you team is getting checked like that.
Sharks goalie Antti Niemi even had to deal with bodies flying into his crease.
Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.
