Rangers’ Richards overdue for a marker

Boston Bruins at New York Rangers Madison Square Garden, TSN, RDS, 4: 30 p. m. Series standing: Bruins lead 3- 0

THE STORYLINE: Does it take a complete team effort to win a Stanley Cup? If so, the Bruins are on course to win their second title in three seasons. After all, their fourth line — Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton — scored the Bruins’ two goals, both in the third period of Game 3, to put the Rangers on the brink of elimination. Paille, Campbell and Thornton have nine points in 10 games. Now, if the Bruins can just get Jaromir Jagr to finally score.

THE KEY PLAYER: It really seems beyond the Rangers to even make a dent in this series. And they’ll never make a dent if a guy like Brad Richards can’t do better than scoring one goal in 10 games. He makes $ 9 million a year. And scores one goal in 10 games. He might want to start scoring now.

Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings Joe Louis Arena, CBC, RDS2, 4 p. m. Series standing: Red Wings lead 2- 1

THE STORYLINE: There are tons in this surprising series, but here’s one: The Red Wings aren’t being pushed around by the Blackhawks. Game 3 was particularly physical, at times vicious, but the Wings stood their ground and got an outstanding, furious flurry — can we call two goals a flurry? — right after an exhausting penalty kill, during which the Wings just couldn’t clear the puck for what seemed like five minutes.

THE KEY PLAYER: There’s no doubt about it: Capt. Serious is a handful. Jonathan Toews has great will and determination; that was what led the Blackhawks to the 2010 Stanley Cup. But the Red Wings defenders have been effective in frustrating Toews, roughing him up, taking him out of the play. If the Blackhawks come back to win this series, let’s go out on a limb and suggest it’s because Toews has come alive.