OTTAWA — Ryan Callahan was looking at the American flag, not at the scoreboard video screen, during the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” before last night’s game.
Which is why the Team USA and Rangers winger had no idea that an individual in the Senators’ game night operations decided to show video of every Canadian gold-medal winner, plus Sidney Crosby’s golden goal against the Americans, as the U.S. national anthem was played.
The Canadian national anthem that followed was not accompanied by images from the Vancouver Games.
“I didn’t have any idea,” said Callahan, who scored twice in the Blueshirts’ 4-1 victory over the Senators, including one off a brilliant dash down the left side at 0:22 of the second . “I don’t look at the scoreboard during the anthem. I look at the flag.”
Chris Drury, who also earned silver in Vancouver, sniffed when informed of the display for which the Senators later apologized while claiming it had been done inadvertently, in error.
“The scoreboard?” Drury asked rhetorically. “I’m not too worried about that.”
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The Rangers, who won final two games before the Olympic break, have won three straight for first time since winning four in a row from Dec. 17-23.
“It feels like it’s new more than a continuation from before the break,” said Callahan, who got his second off a backhand rebound of a Sean Avery drive. “Before the break, we wanted to give ourselves a shot to have a shot when we came back.
“Now the important thing is to string wins together. We can’t take a step back at home [tomorrow] against the Penguins. We have to string games together in order to make the playoffs.”
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The Rangers went 11:19 without a shot in the second period following Callahan’s goal at 0:22 and then went 10:29 without a shot following Avery’s goal that made it 4-1 at 17:46 of second.
Drury led the Rangers forwards in ice time with 20:09 while Marc Staal got 23:30 to lead the club. Corey Potter, who replaced Michael Del Zotto in the lineup, got 12:17 paired with Matt Gilroy (15:45). Wade Redden skated with Dan Girardi while Staal was paired with Michal Rozsival.
Enver Lisin, placed on waivers yesterday, played right wing on a line with Avery and Artem Anisimov and fed Avery for his tap-in at the net for the fourth goal. Avery has goals in two straight games after scoring on a penalty shot against Tampa Bay on Feb. 14. Aaron Voros, also placed on waivers, was scratched, leaving Blueshirts with Jody Shelley-Brian Boyle-Brandon Prust fourth line.