Richardson gets another look up top

Will the fourth time be the charm for Brad Richardson? Three previous times this season — for a total of seven games — Richardson has started a game as the Kings’ first-line left winger, but his life span in that role has yet to last more than four games. The Kings also went to that look, with Richardson playing with Anze Kopitar and Wayne Simmonds, at times last season — including during the playoffs — typically at times when Terry Murray wanted to infuse some energy into the top line. Richardson returned to the lineup last night against the Rangers, after being a healthy scratch from the previous four games, had one assist and did some quality forechecking. Here’s what Murray said about Richardson’s game, and his thoughts behind the new-look line…

MURRAY: “A big play was made by him. He recovers the puck and, not only on the Greene goal but in other areas, at other times in the offensive zone, I thought he was fast to the puck. He had a real attitude to get in there first and be strong on it. And I liked that. I think, with him and Simmonds on the wing, it allows more offensive-zone play where, again, we’re recovering those pucks faster, we’re in on the forecheck to get it stopped. It seems like, when I go back in my memory bank, as to that line being together last year, it was successful, with good things happening. I remember talking about it, that it was to bring the work back to the line, when I did that last year. That’s part of the reason. The other part is just that speed, and getting in on the forecheck and recovering loose pucks and making plays happen. I liked his game a lot, at the end of the night, so we’ll start with that look tomorrow.”