Gallagher: 'I'll be good to go'

BROSSARD - After missing the final 21 games of the regular season with a fractured thumb, a healthy Brendan Gallagher is ready for the playoff grind.

The 29-year-old right-winger made that crystal clear on Saturday afternoon as the Canadiens began preparing for their first-round matchup against the Maple Leafs at the Bell Sports Complex.
Gallagher skated with linemates Phillip Danault and Tomas Tatar as the trio sought to get their chemistry back ahead of Game 1 come next Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena.
"I'll be good to go. You don't put on that sweater without the expectation of bringing it all for your teammates every night," affirmed Gallagher, who suffered the injury on April 5 versus Edmonton and recovered without undergoing surgery. "I wouldn't put myself in the lineup if I didn't think I was going to be 100 percent."

A heart and soul player in every conceivable way, the nine-year veteran will undoubtedly do his very best to be a real thorn in the Maple Leafs' side from the get-go.
That includes likely playing a key defensive role against perennial offensive threats Mitch Marner (67 points) and Auston Matthews (66 points), both of whom are capable of breaking any contest wide open.
"It's going to be an important part of the series. We're going to have to do a job on those guys. If they're comfortable and effective and they're hurting us every single night, our chances of winning this thing go down drastically," emphasized Gallagher. "There's going to be a lot of other guys involved in that as well. But when you're on the ice against them, we're prepared to compete and just make it as difficult as possible. We know how dangerous they are, those two together especially. It's a big focal point for the series and we're going to try and do a job on them."

The pair was a dynamic tandem during the year, pacing Toronto to a first-place finish in the North Division with 35 victories and 77 points, and an impressive 7-2-1 record against Montreal along the way.
Consequently, some might see interim head coach Dominique Ducharme's contingent as the underdog heading into the best-of-seven set, but not the Canadiens' alternate captain.
"At no point do we really care. We know what type of group we have and we know what team we're playing against. They're a heck of a team. They do a lot of things well. They're hard to play against, they've got a lot of talent up front, their back end is deep, they've got two good goaltenders. We're aware of those things, but at the same time, we're confident in our group," stressed Gallagher. "We know the style that we can play to be able to beat anybody in the League. We've just got to bring it. It's going to be a lot of fun. We have a group of guys that are really looking forward to it."

When asked to expand upon what specific aspects of the team's composition have him feeling good about their chances to upset the Maple Leafs, the former fifth-round selection was adamant in his reply.
"We have experience. We have youth that we rely on. We have the best goaltender in the world. We have a lot of guys that will compete. When you bring that into a series, we're confident. I think we have depth in every area. We're going to compete for those opportunities to be the guy. You have a lot of guys that want to step up and take on that opportunity," insisted Gallagher, who boasts 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 49 career playoff games. "I have a lot of confidence in the character that we have in this locker room. This team was tested a lot this year. Guys were pretty tired mentally and physically, so it would've been pretty easy to pack it in and hope for the next one, but no matter what we went through this year, the team responded the right way. That speaks to the character we have in this locker room, and going forward that's something that we're going to have to rely on."
It's safe to say that Gallagher is fired up for the first postseason clash between the two franchises in over four decades, but there's one thing that could enhance it: fans in the stands.
Unfortunately, that won't be the case across the country.
"You're really sad that the fans can't be in the building for this. I've been a part of this rivalry for nine years now and it never gets old. The fans are so passionate, they're so excited. It's going to be awesome for us as players to be a part of. We know we're going to feel the fans' emotion, but it's really unfortunate that they can't be in the building because this is going to be special," said Gallagher. "It's going to be really emotional, intense and competitive. It's going to be fun to watch, but to have fans in the building and create that little bit of atmosphere would make it that much better."

Staal: 'You've got to embrace it'
Like Gallagher, centreman Eric Staal is chomping at the bit for another playoff run.
It's a chance for the 36-year-old Thunder Bay, ON native, who was acquired from Buffalo in late March, to face his childhood team when the stakes are the highest.
"I grew up watching the Leafs every Saturday night. It's one of those things throughout my career, every time I got a chance to play against Toronto or Montreal, those are the teams that made me fall in love with the game," explained Staal. "At this point in my career, the opportunity to play them in the playoffs, it doesn't get much better. You've got to embrace it, you've got to enjoy it, you've got to have fun, play free, play hard, play the way we know we can, and hope that in the end we get the result we want and move on."

Ducharme featured the 17-year veteran in between wingers Corey Perry and Josh Anderson at practice, while Michael Frolik, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield formed the "extra" line.
One of six Stanley Cup winners on the roster, Staal definitely knows what it takes to be successful in the postseason.
"I think if we play our style of game throughout our lineup, we can be very difficult to play against. For me, it's just continuing to try and do the detail parts of the game, be strong, be physical, win my battles, win my puck battles, all the gritty stuff you need to do in playoffs to win games," mentioned Staal, who has 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in 62 career playoff appearances. "It's all about winning now. That's all that matters. I'm excited for the chance to go against the Leafs in Game 1, and we'll be ready to go."
The Canadiens will practice again on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. ET at the Bell Sports Complex.