PITTSBURGH — In the big picture, there was a lot hanging in the balance for the Rangers in Game 7 against the Penguins Tuesday night at the Consol Energy Center.
Keeping their season alive was No. 1 on that list.
That mission was accomplished as the Rangers completed their improbable and remarkable comeback from a 3-1 deficit to close out the Penguins 2-1 in Game 7 and 4—3 for the series, now moving on to play the winner of Wednesday’s Game 7 between the Canadians and Bruins.
But, as in any playoff series when a team’s season is on the brink of closure, there were smaller, more personal goals and circumstances involved, too. In the Rangers’ case, one of those had to do with Brad Richards, who happened to score the game-deciding goal.
Richards, one of the main heartbeats of the Rangers’ locker room, is signed through 2020 and has a salary cap hit of $6.67 per year, which seemingly has him headed for an amnesty buyout in June — a move that makes financial sense for the Blueshirts.
So uncertainty about the future has hung in the air for Richards during these playoffs, particularly with the Rangers playing their fourth potential elimination game Tuesday night.
On this night, the 34-year-old Richards made a pretty strong case for staying with his performances in Game 7. His biggest contribution of the game — and possibly the season — came at 7:56 of the second period when he scored to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
The goal, which was assisted by Martin St. Louis and Derek Stepan, turned out to be the game — and series — winner.
It came just 3:41 after the Penguins had scored the equalizer, and it silenced the home building, which had been ready to explode. It was made possible when St. Louis flicked the puck from behind the Pittsburgh net to an open Richards, who bat Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
“I just came down the slot and Marty threw it out front to me and I don’t know where Fleury was, but I saw that side of the net,’’ Richards said. “I just had to make sure it came to me flat and I got wood on it.’’
He did.
“Nobody gave us a chance,’’ Richards said. “Marty’s situation [his mother’s sudden death last week] called upon us. It wasn’t a good day after losing Game 4, and to have this feeling tonight after all that. … It shows how fun this group is to be around with everybody willing to do their part. It’s unbelievable.’’
Richards said neither he nor his teammates stopped believing — even after the team’s worst performance of the playoffs in Game 4.
“There’s too many things in history that show you not to stop believing, but when you play a game like we did in Game 4, after a good game in Game 3 … that wasn’t us,’’ Richards said. “It’s amazing how once you get in it and you get a little good feeling it just goes through the lineup, and we went out there and played like that.’’
“We’re in the final four now. I don’t know any four teams in history of NHL that got this far and didn’t believe they can win.’’
Each of these games has a chance to be Richards’ last as a Ranger and he knows it. It’s certainly not something he’s thinking about now with all of the delicious possibilities that lie ahead. But it’s surely not something Richards is looking forward to dealing with when the time comes.
“It’s been in the back of my mind to a certain extent; it would be a lie if I said it wasn’t there,” Richards said told The Post’s Larry Brooks recently. “But it’s not affecting me or weighing on me, or having any impact on my preparation or my game. I want to play well in the playoffs because I want to win, not because of whatever impact that might have on their decision.’’
After Tuesday night’s heroics, Richards hopes he complicated the decision for Rangers’ management.