Mike Richter has a date at the Olympics in Nagano, Japan, in three months. He's more concerned about an immediate problem at home, however.
"I'm just worried about the next win," the New York Ranger goalie said following Monday night's 2-2 tie with the Edmonton Oilers.Victories have been scarce for the Rangers recently, particularly at home, where they have made it tougher on themselves by allowing their opponents to score first.
That's happened in eight of their nine games at Madison Square Garden. The result: a 2-3-4 record.
In their latest adventure at home, the Rangers were bailed out by Pat LaFontaine's goal at 15:10 of the second period. That tied the game at 2, and Richter and New York's penalty-killers did the rest.
Hurricanes 5, Canucks 3
Vancouver, ranked last in the NHL in goals allowed, surrendered two Carolina goals in a 46-second span of the first period and two more in a nine-second span in the second.
The five-goal output was a season high after 15 games for the Hurricanes. Meanwhile, the Canucks have been outscored 35-14 in losing seven straight games.
Before the game at Greensboro, N.C., the Hurricanes learned that goalie Sean Burke was arrested Sunday on an assault charge against his wife Leslie. He was left out of the lineup and was expected to practice with the team today.
Canadiens 6, Stars 4
At Montreal, Shayne Corson scored goals 2:12 apart in the second period, and Andy Moog made 18 saves in his first start against his former team.
Flyers 5, Blues 1
Eric Lindros scored twice before leaving with a rib injury as Philadelphia snapped a four-game winless streak and ended St. Louis' nine-game home unbeaten streak.
U.S. Olympic Team named
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Ron Wilson, coach of the Washington Capitals, brings a simple philosophy to his assignment as coach of the U.S. Olympic hockey team.
"We go in expecting to be successful," Wilson said after USA Hockey announced the first 17 players for the American roster for next February's Nagano Olympics.
Fifteen of the players return from USA Hockey's 1996 World Cup championship team that Wilson also coached. John Cunniff and Paul Holmgren, both former NHL coaches, and Jeff Jackson, former coach at Lake Superior State University, will assist Wilson.
"If we don't win the gold medal, we'll be extremely disappointed," Wilson said. "We did that at the World Cup. From Day One, we said we were playing for first place. It's not negative pressure. It's pressure great players cherish.
"We proved ourselves capable of competing with every country for the top honor. The confidence we built makes my job easier. There is a chemistry there, an understanding that maybe was lacking before."
General manager Lou Lamoriello kept the core of the World Cup team intact for the Olympics. "Defense will be the focus," he said.
Four of the players selected - defenseman Chris Chelios of the Chicago Blackhawks, forward Keith Tkachuk of the Phoenix Coyotes and goalie Mike Richter and defenseman Brian Leetch, both of the New York Rangers - have represented the United States in previous Olympics. Chelios played in the 1984 games, Leetch and Richter were on the 1988 team and Tkachuk played in 1992.
Richter was MVP of the World Cup tournament with a 5-1 record and 2.43 goals against average. Also picked for the team were Brett Hull of the St. Louis Blues, leading scorer in the World Cup with seven goals and four assists in seven games, and Tony Amonte of Chicago, who scored the winning goal against Canada in the championship game.
Also selected were forwards John LeClair and Joel Otto of the Philadelphia Flyers, Adam Deadmarsh of the Colorado Avalanche, Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars, Jeremy Roenick of Phoenix, and Doug Weight of the Edmonton Oilers.
Besides Leetch and Chelios, defensemen picked were Derian Hatcher of Dallas, Kevin Hatcher of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mathieu Schneider of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Gary Suter of Chicago. John Vanbiesbrouck of the Florida Panthers joins Richter in goal.
Lamoriello said six more players - five skaters and a goalie - would be added to the roster by Dec. 1.
The United States is one of six teams automatically qualified for the championship round of the Olympic tournament beginning Feb. 13. Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden also are in the medal round. They will be joined by two teams from the preliminary round involving Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, France, Germany, Japan and Belarus.