Rangers psyched by Crosby's visit

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- It may not be the Rangers' very first wish to face the Sidney Crosby renaissance Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. But they are in general agreement that the occasion brings the kind of pizzazz professional athletes embrace.

"Makes it more fun for everybody," center Brad Richards said Monday. "People playing, people watching, everybody."

Exactly one year since Crosby last played the Garden, the Pittsburgh Penguins star -- at last recovered from severe concussions -- will return to spice an already inviting duel. With Pittsburgh (14-6-4) having done quite well until Crosby's re-emergence four games ago, and the Rangers (12-5-3) having won nine of their last 11 games, this should be hot stuff between two of the Atlantic Division's top three teams.

National TV. The usual raucous Garden crowd. Crosby's two goals and seven assists already. What some might call a "measuring-stick game."

Some. Not all. "I'm not a big believer in the measuring-stick stuff," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. "We know Pittsburgh's a very good team. We respect 'em. But we're going to just go about our business and see if we can find our way."

Tortorella readily acknowledged, however -- as his players did -- that Crosby's presence is welcome. "It's important," Tortorella said. "He's an important guy to the game. He's a very good ambassador to the game. He's that good.

"But it ends there. We're going to play him straight up."

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With, possibly, a bit more excitement. "He's obviously one of the best, if not the best," said Ryan McDonagh, who has emerged as a solid first-line defenseman while All-Star Marc Staal recovers from a concussion. "It's easy to get up for. The intensity is there from the start in games like this. If you're not on your toes mentally and physically, you're going to look silly out there."

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist admitted it "doesn't hurt when you go into a building and you can feel the atmosphere" expected Tuesday night. "It's not hard to mentally prepare for that."

Crosby's participation, he said, "is great for the league. He should be playing. It's going to be tough for us to have him back, but it's great for hockey."

Notes & quotes:Tortorella said it is too early to make any judgments about recent line changes or the use of four lines, with Brandon Dubinsky now essentially a fourth-line center for Sean Avery and Brandon Prust. "A number of things come into play; you think of the other lines, too," Tortorella said. "You don't form your team around one guy. I don't change lines just for the hell of changing lines. The last couple of games, all the lines have played well."