It was hard enough for the Rangers to deal with Sidney Crosby in the first round of the postseason. They turned back Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates in five games, but all four of the Rangers’ victories were by the same, taut 2-1 score, and two of them came in overtime. Crosby was a constant nemesis, and the Rangers were glad to say goodbye to him in the handshake line after Game 5 and move on.
Except now, in the second round, the Rangers are dealing with someone who is just as dangerous as Crosby, but who is also bigger and tougher and, at times, almost seems like a cartoon character as he barrels through Rangers players trying to stop him somehow.