Last year when the New York Rangers were gearing up for their first round match-up against the Washington Capitals, then alternate captain Ryan Callahan was forced to watch from the press box while on crutches. Callahan fractured his leg when laying down the body to block a Zdeno Chara slap shot just three games prior to the start of the postseason. He'd end up missing all five games of that series against the Caps.
This year, however, Captain Cally has entered the playoffs at 100-percent health after a career-high regular season on the scoresheet. The difference a healthy Callahan makes for this Rangers team was quite evident in last night's 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators in the team's opening game of the Quarterfinals. As I said in the postgame, he is a coach's dream player at this time of year.
Who laid down the first big hit of last night's tilt? Ryan Callahan. Who slid to block the first shot on the penalty-kill? Ryan Callahan. Who scored the first goal? Ryan Callahan. Who was the game's second star, but arguably could've been the first? Ryan Callahan.
As most teams do, the Blueshirts had playoff tee-shirts made up for the all the guys in the locker room to wear during the postseason. Except their shirts do not say "Stanley Cup Playoffs" on them. Instead, on the front reads the phrase "The right way...", and on the back reads the phrase "...the only way".
What happens to be Cally's nickname within the locker room? The "Right Way" Callahan.
The team has based their inspirational playoff motto on the nickname they applied to their captain during the regular season. If that doesn't speak volumes of how great of a role model Callahan is to the rest of the squad, then I honestly do not know what does.
Seeing Callahan step on the ice last night and unload every ounce of energy he had in the tank on every shift not only got the crowd into the game, but it grabbed the attention of the players on the bench as well. The first line of Carl Hagelin, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik didn't have too bad of a start to the game on the opening shift, I must say. But the real intensity of the match-up did not pick up until Callahan's line came out for the following shift. That's how much of an impact this one player can have on both teams.
Callahan not only set the tone for the game, but maybe for the series as well. The way he battled last night was the epitome of how this New York Rangers team is going to win games in the playoffs. You must fight for every inch and every goal, and Callahan most definitely did that on Thursday.
"The fans were unbelievable and they got us going. Then Cally scored that first goal, we played good and physical, and we took off from there." - Marian Gaborik
“He [Callahan] was a monster. He scored a big goal and he was throwing his body around.” - Brian Boyle
The quotes there speak for themselves. Gaborik full out acknowledged that after Callahan's goal, the entire team started to play a physical game and they then took off from there. Boyle then followed up by deeming Callahan's performance "monster". This is first-hand evidence of how the entire club feeds off of Cally's energy, especially in last night's win. For this, Ryan wore the celebratory Broadway Hat.
“It was tough last year,” Callahan said. “Not being able to be with the team during the playoffs after battling with them. It’s good to get that first win under my belt. It’s been two years (actually three) since I played a playoff game so it’s nice to get that one out of the way.”
He certainly looked like a playoff-hungry player last night, that's for sure.
'Atta boy, Captain.
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