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I always get a kick out of watching the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher return to the bench after a shift.

He looks like he’s about to die — seeming to have left everything he has on the ice. Then, after a short rest, he goes back out and does the same thing again.

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During Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Wild in Minnesota, Gallagher logged 16:46 of ice time on 23 shifts, meaning each shift averaged 43.7 seconds. For Gallagher, that mean’s 43.7 seconds of all-out effort — and he does it game after game, shift after shift.

It really is remarkable to watch — especially when you factor in the physical beating Gallagher takes every game, not afraid to go into the so-called dirty areas.

How does he do it?

“When I come to the bench I am pretty tired,” Gallagher said after practice Tuesday in Brossard. “But one of the strengths I have is my recovery system. So it kind of goes hand-in-hand. I’m able to get my air and get ready for the next shift.”