NHL

RANGERS’ ‘D’ SET TO DEAL WITH OVECHKIN

This was back in 1997, when head coach Colin Campbell matched the defense pair of Ulf Samuelsson and Alexander Karpovtsev against Eric Lindros and left wing John LeClair.

Karpovtsev, a big man to whom physical play did not come naturally, had done a surprisingly fine job throughout the season against No. 88. And so when the Rangers and Flyers were about to meet in the conference finals, Karpovtsev was asked rather naturally whether he welcomed the challenge of confronting Lindros.

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“No,” he responded. “It’s my job. I have to do it. I have no choice.”

Karpovtsev wasn’t kidding. He had no choice. Just as now, a dozen years later, the Rangers have no choice but to contain, if not stop, Alex Ovechkin in order to stand a chance of upsetting the Caps in the first round best of seven that opens in DC tomorrow night.

The difference for the Rangers between then and now, between defending the NHL’s most compelling player in 1997 and defending the league’s most compelling player in 2009, is that the defenseman who has historically battled Ovechkin and will be matched against him most often, actually relishes the task.

“Going against one of the best players in the world, the challenge will be a lot of fun,” said Marc Staal, who will be paired with Dan Girardi. “You want to make as big a contribution to the team as you can, and he’s such a big part of their team that if we can do our jobs and shut him down, that’ll be a big step in the right direction for us as far as winning the series.”

Ovechkin, who led the NHL in goal scoring for the second straight year with 56, scored four in four games against the Blueshirts. He’s not their only weapon, of course, Mike Green is rather dangerous, Alexander Semin is a brilliant talent and so is Nicklas Backstrom, but Ovechkin is the engine that makes the 108-point Southeast champs hum. He is their heart and soul. And he wants to bury the opposition every time out.

Again, Ovechkin is not alone. He couldn’t be on a Washington team that scored 268 goals, third most in the NHL behind Detroit’s 289 and Boston’s 270, totals excluding awarded shootout winners. The Rangers meanwhile scored 200 goals, third least in the NHL to Colorado’s 190 and the Islanders’ 198.

At the same time, the Rangers finished sixth in the NHL with a 2.58 GAA while the Caps were 19th at 2.93 GAA. So how will John Tortorella’s Blueshirts defend against Washington’s dynamic attack and attacker? Well, by attacking. What else?

“We’re going to play,” said the head coach. “You have to be aware that [Ovechkin] is there, he’s a great player and we know that, but I don’t think you can let it dictate your game.

“I’m a believer in that we need to play our game and not get into any counter-punching, and take our chances that way. Having said that, you have to defend, but you don’t lose your identity as a hockey club, and that’s very important as we start the series.”

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Chris Drury, who is nursing either a leg issue or wrist problem or both, did not skate for the fourth straight day. Tortorella said that the captain is day to day.

larry.brooks@nypost.com