Mike Richards scores first goal with Capitals in victory over Coyotes

At that moment — the opposing goaltender chopping his stick in frustration, the teammates rabble-rousing in the corner, the supportive crowd standing in support — Mike Richards took it all in and smiled.

A year and a series of humiliations had passed since Richards last scored a meaningful goal, and the emotional weight of such shortcomings had, in many regards, started to weigh on him. He had worried he would never play another NHL game. After signing with the Washington Capitals in mid-January, he wondered if he would fit in with his new team.

“I’ve also thought that I may not score ever again,” Richards said.

Those doubts, one by one, were gradually allayed, with the final piece falling on Monday. Richards scored the game-winning goal 8:43 into the third period, his first in 15 games, in helping the Capitals claim a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.

It was a fortuitous strike from Richards, who was aggressive for much of the game and nearly scored short-handed in the final minute of the second period. Tom Wilson’s blast from the right circle dribbled off goaltender Louis Domingue’s chest and into the crease, where Domingue tried to trap it with his glove.

Instead, it appeared that he merely covered the blade of teammate Brad Richardson’s stick, allowing Wilson to swoop in and knock the puck loose. Richards spotted it just outside the crease and swatted at it, threading it between Richardson and Connor Murphy and into the net.

Richards raised his hands in triumph while skating along the half wall, but the celebration was interrupted. Coyotes players objected to Wilson’s play and backed him up along the end boards, and Domingue swung his stick down on the crossbar, believing Wilson had interfered with an attempt to freeze the puck.

“It was a great job all the way around,” said teammate Justin Williams. “’Never give up until you hear the whistle,’ and that was certainly a definition of it.”

Richards, 31, joined the Capitals after parts of four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, who sent him to the minor leagues last February because of his perceived underperformance. His contract was terminated in June after he was arrested at the Canadian border for possession of a controlled substance, and he remained out of the league until joining Washington last month.

Drifting between the third and fourth lines — he was on the third line on Monday with Marcus Johansson ill — Richards’ responsibilities gradually grew. He was given time on the penalty kill and then became one of the Capitals’ top penalty killers, seeing 4:31 of ice time over six opportunities against the Coyotes.

He had also ingratiated himself to his teammates, who could respect that he twice scored 30 goals and reached 80 points in a season. Williams, a former teammate of Richards’ with the Kings, was a staunch ally in having him join the Capitals.

“He deserves it,” said Jason Chimera, who picked up the puck for safekeeping after the goal and then headed toward the fracas. “He’s a hard-working guy. If anyone paid his dues this summer, he did. He could have called it in at any time and he wanted to play. … It was good for him to get that.”

Only in the last six games or so, Richard said, has he started to feel well-conditioned and comfortable with the speed of play. That composure has helped his confidence, which in turn has allowed him to contribute.

After officials separated the mass in the corner, defenseman John Carlson got Richards’ attention with a playful punch on the shoulder and then bumped his fist. Chimera also teased Richards on his way back to the bench, and replays of the goal over the arena’s video boards caused fans to remain standing.

Richards didn’t know his first goal would happen like that, but then again, a year ago, he didn’t know what would be in store.

“It was nice to celebrate with the teammates,” Richards said. “They’ve been real supportive and it’s been a while since I’ve scored a goal of any importance, so it was definitely nice, and obviously, the ovation was pretty special, too.”