Richter Gets Shutout With Plenty of Help

The New York Rangers finally showed some on-ice gratitude for all Mike Richter has done this season.

Richter made 22 saves for his first shutout in nearly three years to lead the Rangers to a 5-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night at New York.

Richter was never seriously tested as the Rangers played smothering defense in front of him.

“We played so well in our own end, I had nothing to do but watch the game like the rest of the fans,” Richter said.

The shutout was the 23rd of his career and the first since Feb. 26, 1999, against Phoenix.

Theo Fleury scored twice and Mike York had a goal and two assists.

“It was great for Ricky, well-deserved,” New York Coach Ron Low said. “He has been great for us all year. To get one for him is awesome.”

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Phoenix 1, Nashville 0--Sean Burke made 27 saves at Phoenix for his 27th career shutout as the Coyotes ended a three-game losing streak.

Sergei Berezin scored his third goal of the season midway through the second period for the Coyotes, who avoided falling below the .500 mark for the first time since Oct. 18.

Dallas 3, Calgary 0--Benoit Brunet scored 2:44 into the game and goaltender Marty Turco made 19 saves as the Stars made it four consecutive road wins with a victory at Calgary, Canada.

It was Turco’s first shutout of the season and fourth of his career.

Tampa Bay 5, Atlanta 2--Nikolai Khabibulin made 39 saves as the Lightning won at Tampa, Fla.

Khabibulin turned aside 18 shots in the first period, including a stop of Dany Heatley on a breakaway during the opening minute.

Boston 3, Philadelphia 2--Former King Jozef Stumpel scored off Brian Rolston’s rebound at 3:22 of overtime to lift the Bruins at Philadelphia.

Philadelphia’s Mark Recchi tied it at 2-2 midway through the third period as the Flyers rallied from a two-goal deficit.

Minnesota 6, Florida 0--Dwayne Roloson stopped 29 shots to record his second shutout of the season as the Wild won at St. Paul, Minn.

St. Louis 3, Columbus 1--Pavol Demitra scored two goals as the Blues came from behind to stop a five-game road losing streak with a victory at Columbus, Ohio.

New York Islanders 1, Montreal 1--Sheldon Souray’s goal early in the third period and Jose Theodore’s 30 saves helped the Canadiens earn a tie at Uniondale, N.Y.

San Jose 5, Pittsburgh 0--Mike Ricci had a goal and two assists, and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 38 shots at San Jose for his third shutout of the season as the Sharks beat the Penguins.

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San Jose defenseman Mike Rathje, the NHL’s last remaining holdout, re-signed with the Sharks. Rathje, who missed 24 games in a sometimes acrimonious standoff, agreed to a four-year deal worth $8.25 million after a protracted late-night negotiating session between Shark General Manager Dean Lombardi and Rathje’s agent, Art Breeze.... Ivan Hlinka, fired as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ coach after an 0-4 start, has hired two lawyers and is threatening to sue the team for breach of contract. Hlinka claims the Penguins have not paid him the $800,000 he is owed on a three-year contract through June 30, 2003.