Coaches and players don't want to talk about it. John Tortorella used to deny its very existence, abruptly ending press conferences at the sheer mention of the concept. But playoff fatigue, both mental and physical, can become a real factor as the postseason wears down a roster. And because of that, it would behoove the Rangers, just once, to make their lives easier in the earlier rounds.
It doesn't look as if that is going to happen, however, after the Rangers dropped Game 2 Saturday of their first-round series against Pittsburgh. Now they head to the Consol Energy Center for Game 3 on Monday, with little hope of wrapping this up quickly.