From the New York Post and the AP’s John Christofferson.

U.S. Rep. Chris Shays was one of the few moderate Republicans to survive a body blow by Democrats in November, but he may soon face a check from retired Rangers goalie Mike Richter.

Richter, a 40-year-old Democrat who lives in Guilford, said he expects to make a decision in the next few weeks about whether to run for the Fairfield County seat in 2008.

“I’ve considered entering public office in some form for a long time,” Richter said.

A series of concussions forced Richter into early retirement in 2003 after 15 seasons with the Rangers, the club he backstopped to the Stanley Cup in 1994.

In the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Richter criticized President Bush’s comment that Osama bin Laden was wanted “dead or alive.”

“I think that was entirely inappropriate – I think it was sickening actually,” Richter said at the time. “This is no cowboy movie.”