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. Jerome Robinson 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." Austin Rivers Jersey . Modin, 36, tallied seven goals and three assists in 36 games with the Thrashers this season. The Sundsvall, Sweden, native has posted 232 goals and 230 assists in 894 career NHL games with Toronto, Tampa Bay, Columbus, Los Angeles and Atlanta and has appeared in 57 post-season contests, helping the Lightning capture the 2004 Stanley Cup Championship. DeAndre Jordan Jersey . Costa injured his right thigh muscle against Barcelona last Saturday and had sought treatment in Belgrade from a doctor specializing in using fluid derived from horse placenta to repair damaged cells. http://www.clippersnbateamshop.info/shai-gilgeous-alexander-clippers-jersey/ . Since coming to the big leagues in late May, La Stella is 6 for 7 with the bases loaded, driving in 13 runs in those at-bats.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Florida Panthers will try to post their longest winning streak in a calendar year when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for the opener of a home-and-home series Saturday at Consol Energy Center. Florida has won two in a row to match a season high, but the club hasnt put together three consecutive victories since a five-game run from Dec. 10-19 of last season. The Penguins also enter Saturday having won their last two tests. The Metropolitan Division leaders also have gone six straight without a regulation loss, posting a 4-0-2 record during that stretch. Florida has claimed two of three and three of the past five encounters in this series. The teams last met on Jan. 20 when the Panthers recorded a 5-1 rout in Pittsburgh. That lopsided victory halted Floridas eight-game road losing streak in this series, as the Panthers won in the Steel City for the first time since Jan. 3, 2009. The clubs will meet in Sunrise on Monday to complete the home-and-home. The Panthers are on a four-game point streak (3-0-1) and all three victories during that stretch came via the shootout, pushing Floridas record in tiebreakers to 4-4 on the season. After beating the Washington Capitals 2-1 in an NHL-record 20-round shootout on Tuesday, the Panthers won by the same score in a shorter battle Thursday in Philadelphia. Dave Bollands goal to start the sixth round proved to be the decisive score against the Flyers, as Roberto Luongo turned aside Sean Couturiers ensuing attempt to end the game. Scottie Upshall lit the lamp in regulation for the Panthers, while Luongo made 25 saves through regulation and overtime. I thought we played a solid game, not a great game, but a solid game, said Panthers coach Gerard Gallant. We were able to come out of here with two points in Philly and its a big two points for us. Brad Boyes sat out Thursdays game for Florida and the forward is questionable toniight with an upper-body injury. Montrezl Harrell Jersey. The Panthers are capping a brief two-game road trip Saturday. They are 7-4-2 as the guest this season. Pittsburgh welcomed Sidney Crosby back to the lineup on Thursday, but Blake Comeau and Marc-Andre Fleury made the difference in the Pens 1-0 overtime victory against visiting Colorado. Comeau scored the games only goal at 2:24 of overtime, while Fleury stopped all 29 shots sent his way for the shutout. Fleury has a career-best six shutouts this season and also is leading the league in that category. Fleury was tested for the mumps Wednesday, but was able to start the following night when the results came back negative. Crosby wasnt so lucky, as he missed three games due to the illness, but he was back in action on Thursday. It took probably a period to get used to the speed. The fact you miss some time you feel it early on, but once you get in the game you start to feel more comfortable, Crosby said. Pittsburghs captain logged 20 minutes, 19 seconds of ice time and registered three shots on goal. Crosby has 35 points on nine goals and 26 assists over 28 games this season. The Penguins could get another key forward back in the lineup tonight, as winger Chris Kunitz is questionable after missing the past eight games with a fracture in his foot. On Friday, he completed his first full practice since suffering the injury on Nov. 29. Kunitz has nine goals and 11 assists in 23 games this season. Pittsburgh announced Friday that defenseman Olli Maatta has been diagnosed with the mumps. He was already sidelined with an upper-body injury. Fleury is 11-8-0 with a 2.62 goals against average in his career against Florida and is expected to start again tonight. Luongo is likely to get the call for the Panthers. He is 13-8-3 with a 2.78 GAA in this matchup. Pittsburgh is 12-4-1 as the host and is capping a three-game homestand tonight. ' ' '