Gold-medal winning teammates now face off for Cup

Earlier in the season when the experts attempted to predict the roster for the Canadian Olympic team, many of them believed the last spot would come down to a choice between Jonathan Toews and Mike Richards.

As it turned out, Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman kept them both because what they bring on and off the ice couldn't be ignored.

Toews and Richards wound up playing on the same line, which was Canada's best, winning a gold medal together.

Now the 22-year-old Toews and the 25-year-old Richards are focal points in the Stanley Cup Finals. On opposite teams this time. Captains, one of whom is going to have the most important trophy in all of hockey placed into his arms by Commissioner Gary Bettman.

The Hawks and the Philadelphia Flyers have much in common, but it starts with Toews and Richards - two of the best, young leaders in the game, guys who play a similar style and are the heart and soul of their clubs.

"Richards plays a lot like Johnny," agreed Hawks center John Madden, who went head to head with the Flyers' captain plenty of times while with New Jersey. "They both compete really, really hard, they play with an edge, and they expect the best from themselves.

"They don't look to the right or the left to get things done. They look at themselves first."

Richards and Toews are determined and tenacious at both ends of the rink, leading more by example than anything else.

Richards plays with a bit more nasty than Toews does and looks for big hits. It was Richards' blindside hit on David Booth last October that knocked the Florida forward out for most of the season with a concussion.

Toews appreciates the way Richards plays, especially after being his teammate for two weeks in Vancouver.

"I'd say he's a little more physical player than I am," Toews said. "He likes to look for the big hits, but he's a competitive guy. He's a heart and soul guy that doesn't take the easy way. He works hard for every bounce he gets.

"He's one of those guys who's a huge part of their team. If he's working hard and playing well his team will respond to him and kind of play well with him. We'll be ready for what he can do."

The matchup against Philadelphia's No. 1 line of Richards, Jeff Carter and Simon Gagner is yet to be determined, but if Hawks coach Joel Quenneville doesn't give that assignment to Dave Bolland's line, Toews gladly will accept the challenge.

"Along the way, whether it's in the regular season or even in the playoffs, you want to stare down at some of the best players that you're playing against," Toews said. "It's a test of yourself and to your team when you're out there against the best players and in those key moments of the game.

"That's what it's all about and that's what you dream about as a kid. It's all about finding what you've really got inside of yourself when you're out there against players like Mike Richards when it really matters."

Quenneville knows Richards is as important to the Flyers as Toews is to the Hawks.

"They're great leaders in their own way," Quenneville said. "Johnny is one of those players that as a coach you truly appreciate how committed he is to being the best he can be any day. That's probably the best compliment you'd want in your captain and your leaders.

"When you look at the other side of it (at Richards), he's very competitive. They both played on the same line when they won the gold medal, so it's a pretty good story. They're both young leaders who are a big part of their teams."

Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith played on the Canadian Olympic team with Toews and Richards and sees two players who will do anything to win.

"They both play a similar role as far as what they mean to their team and what they bring to the table," Keith said. "They bring a lot of that mentality of never quitting and doing whatever it takes to win."