Mike Richards’s first goal as a Washington Capital seemed inevitable after he continually got oh-so-close but still fell short in this one game. The puck was sitting there in front of the crease for him, and Richards swatted it toward the net, the black disc finally getting past the goaltender near the midway point of the third period.
He raised both arms up before triumphantly slamming his right fist down. On the bench, his teammates happily tapped him on the head. After signing with the team on Jan. 6, Richards went 14 games without a point, contributing in other ways but not in the way he most wanted to.