"On a night that the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award was presented to the Rangers player who has gone above and beyond the call of duty all season long, the entire team stepped up collectively to ensure a hugely-important 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in a must-have game Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
With the win, the Rangers retained their hold on the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference with 91 points, while also moving within a point of seventh place Montreal.
The Rangers are now two points up on ninth-place Florida, which lost 2-1 in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
That means the Blueshirts can officially clinch a playoff spot by beating the Flyers on Thursday night at MSG."
:beer:
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Callahan wins Rangers' Extra Effort Award
24-year-old forward a 'catalyst' who has sparked team all season
Forward Ryan Callahan, who has enjoyed a breakout season in his second full year with the Rangers, was recognized on Tuesday as the winner of the 21st annual Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, presented by EmblemHealth.
Callahan was selected as the winner in an online vote conducted on newyorkrangers.com as well as in-arena voting during the 2008-09 season. Thousands of Blueshirts fans voted for the award, which since 1988 has been given annually to the player fans believe goes "above and beyond the call of duty" both on and off the ice.
In becoming the 14th individual Rangers player to capture the award, Callahan was honored with a special presentation prior to the Rangers’ game against Montreal on Tuesday night at MSG.
Called a “catalyst” by head coach John Tortorella, the 24-year-old Callahan has recorded 21 goals and 15 assists for 36 points in 78 games. Now in his third year with the Rangers, he has established career-highs in goals, assists and points, and he leads the Blueshirts with 257 hits.
Callahan has seen ice time in all situations. Since Tortorella’s arrival as head coach in late February, Callahan’s rate of offensive production has soared to eight goals and 13 points in 18 games as he is truly thriving in the coach’s high-tempo system. Tortorella has shown great confidence in Callahan, even recently experimenting with him on the power-play point.
"It's very important to me," Callahan said of the Extra Effort Award. "I try and go out every night and give it my all for these fans here."
I believe Ryan is absolutely one of the hardest working and most consistent members of the Rangers' team. I couldn't think of anyone more deserving of that award right now then he is.
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And last but not least:
Clemmensen, Streit, Betts, Knuble, Eaton get Atlantic Division 2009 Bill Masterton Trophy nods
One of the most cherished and respected trophies awarded by the NHL each season is the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the players who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport.
(Last) Monday, The Professional Hockey Writers' Association revealed the names of the nominees for the 2009 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy from the five Atlantic Division clubs -- Scott Clemmensen of New Jersey, Mark Streit of the New York Islanders,
Blair Betts of the New York Rangers, Mike Knuble of the Philadelphia Flyers and Mark Eaton of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Since coming to the team from Calgary on March 6, 2004, 29-year-old center Blair Betts has played through shoulder, facial and foot surgeries to become one of the League's most reliable fourth-line checkers and penalty killers. Through 75 games, Betts has recorded five goals, four assists and 16 penalty minutes. Relentless in his pursuit of the puck and fearless about throwing his body into the path of opposing slap shots, Betts usually is one of the first two forwards sent onto the ice for a Rangers penalty-killing unit that has led the League through much of the season.
Another very deserving player.
