Trailing 3-0, Richards looks to replicate magic of 2010

The 2010 Eastern Conference Champion Philadelphia Flyers won four consecutive games over the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinal to become the third NHL team to win a best-of-seven playoff series after losing the first three games.

Mike Richards, the Flyers’ captain at the time, helped refine his Philadelphia legacy through his role in the stunning turnaround. He recorded points in all four wins against the Bruins, was overall a plus-nine in the series, and recorded an assist on Simon Gagne’s series-clinching third period power play game-winning goal in which Philadelphia also completed a comeback from a 3-0 first period deficit.

“Obviously, it’s not the position you want to put yourself in,” Richards said of his recollection of the 2010 playoff series. “We had a pretty resilient group that year. We made playoffs I think on the last day of the year. We’ve had our backs against the wall and we knew they were in the same position and we battled back. And much like this group, we have a group that’s been together and a resilient group. We’ve gone through a lot together, kind of the same thing a couple years ago, just getting in the playoffs and then doing something special. Even though it’s not the same year, it’s the same group and we have a resilient group here. It’s obviously a tough task at hand, but as long as you’re still playing hockey you still have a chance.”

Jeff Carter was rehabilitating an injured foot that required surgery and did not play in the second round series. But Philadelphia’s leading scorer in 2009-10 was with the team off the ice and recalls the approach necessary to emerge from one of sports’ most deepest valleys.

“Just one game at a time, that’s what it has to be,” Carter said. “Three-nothing is a big hole, but it’s been done before. You win one game and you start to get some momentum going. We have to go into their building and win two games. You have to approach it as one game. You win that one game, you put a little doubt in their mind and they know that we’re coming. That’s what it has to be.”

For Richards, the circumstances in 2014 are different. Mired in a slump in which he last recorded an assist in the first game following the Olympic break, Richards broke through with a strong performance in Game 3, recording five shots on goal in 18:49 of ice time and drawing Darryl Sutter’s praise.

The scoresheet wasn’t as forgiving. He was a minus-two in the excruciating loss and was on the ice when Patrick Marleau’s backhander deflected off a stick and fluttered past Jonathan Quick.

“All the numbers during the season are out the window. All the numbers in the playoffs you can throw out the window too,” Richards said. “It’s about helping the team have success, no matter how it is. Every player in the dressing room has to look at it like that too. You can’t worry about what happened in Game 2, or what happened in Game 3 and Game 1. It’s all about Game 4 right now. Like I said, everyone should be excited with what we could do if we really put our minds to it, play well and stay mentally strong.”

Mike Richards, on how his experience can help the team in this situation:
Like I said, anything is possible. If you’re still playing hockey, you still have a chance. You just can’t look at the mountain and expect to do it all at once. It’s a process just to put games together, put shifts together and it starts with Thursday night. You can’t win four unless you win one. You can’t look past that. Just take it one game at a time. We’ve gone through stretches this year where we’ve won four games in a row and this is going to be no different.

Richards, on the confidence of playing at Staples Center:
Well we should be confident playing there, that’s for sure. It’s a building that we’ve had success, especially against them, at. A bounce here or there last night and we probably could’ve won that game too, but it’s not the time to feel sorry for yourself. It’s a time to be excited about the opportunity. Not many teams have done this, so it’s a good challenge for us and obviously something that is satisfying if we’re able to play our game and put together a string of wins.

Richards, on executing the game plan in Game 3:
We just played better in all aspects of the game. We forechecked better, we moved the puck better. In this league, even when you play your best games or a good game, it doesn’t always translate to wins. It’s just a matter of sticking with it and playing better. We set out a goal at the beginning of the year to get better as the season went on and the season is not over. So we have to continue to get better and build off last night and play even better if we’re going to have success.

Richards, on his Game 3 performance:
I think myself, as well as the team, just played my game. Tenacious on the puck and move the feet, get involved physically. Like I said, it’s about getting better throughout the season and I still have to play better and contribute offensively and try to help the team win.

Richards, on modern players being mentally prepared to overcome a 3-0 deficit:
It’s tough for me to answer because I don’t know how it was before. You could probably tell me a little bit better. [laughs] [Reporter: We didn’t have coaches breaking down things in five-game segments, so maybe that’s become part of a process?] Maybe. We have to win one game. We can’t worry about winning four games all at once. We should be comfortable playing in Staples Center against San Jose. We’ve played against them lots. We’ve had success against them in our building lots. We can’t look ahead to Game 5 without winning Game 4. All of our attention should be on Game 4. Like I said before, we’ve won four games in a row before. When we were playing those games, we weren’t looking ahead to the next one. We were just focused on the team we were playing that night. We just have to be ready for Thursday night. It’s easy to say, but it’s a mental thing I think for our team and I think we have mentally strong team. So I don’t think that should be a problem.

Richards, on any motivational tactics used in Philadelphia’s 2010 series comeback:
Not before Game 4, I think. As the series went on, you’ve got to build momentum, I think, in that. Them wining the first three, they obviously have the momentum and we have to try to get that back with one win. There is not much you can say or show or do to inspire a team. I think you should be inspired enough with the opportunity we have in front of us. It’s easy to say, but I think as a group you just have to know that, one, it’s not going to be easy and, two, it is possible. Like I said, I think it’s a good opportunity for us to show – everybody has kind of written us off right now – and it’s a good opportunity to show how resilient we are as a group. We’ve done good things in the past and this is just another thing that we have to be excited to accomplish.