NEW YORK - Mostly quiet since he was fired by the Vancouver Canucks last summer, the controversial John Tortorella popped up the day before an Eastern Conference final between two other teams he has coached.

Appearing on ESPN, “Torts” was asked about the current struggles of Martin St. Louis, his captain when they won the Stanley Cup together with the 2003-04 Lightning.

“Don’t you dare count him out,” said Tortorella. “When it gets to a bigger stage, and it’s getting bigger and bigger … Marty was sat out the last game, missed a few shifts … I just know him too well. He is chomping on the bit.

“I think he is going to make a big difference here. He always plays better on the bigger stage. With all the things going on around him, he’s going to have questions asked about him, he sat out a few shifts, the Tampa-Stevie Yzerman thing, his age, all that … he thrives on that. I think he’s going to be a wild card for the Rangers, as far as stepping up his play.

“They said no to him, quite a bit in the league, when he was younger. And that’s the type of motivation he needs. I think he’s going to be very good.”

Tortorella didn’t mention whether he was picking the Rangers or the Lightning would advance to the Cup finals, but called New York “a tough team” and said “Tampa, they’re never out of it.”

“They can score goals,” he added of the Bolts. “(Steven) Stamkos, I thought the coaches did a great job there, putting him on wing, change his game a bit.

“It’s going to be a real interesting series.”

STAMMER TIME: Stamkos still keeps in close contact with St. Louis, his mentor and friend when he broke into the league as a first overall pick in 2008. “He sent me a text after we won Game 6 (against Montreal), just saying ‘great game’, and I said ‘thanks, hopefully we see you in Game 1 of the conference final,” said Stamkos, who had his wish granted when the Rangers defeated the Capitals in Game 7. “It’s always great to see your friends, and obviously he’s a special one, do well. You want them to do well until you play them, and then you obviously want to come out on top, your team wants to come out on top. I think if you ask both of us, that’s the same answer.”

ICE CHIPS:Gritty Lightning winger Ryan Callahan practised Friday at MSG, the fourth day after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Tampa coach Jon Cooper said Callahan is “day-to-day” when asked if he’d be in the lineup Saturday. “It’s going to be a pain tolerance thing,” said Cooper. “Ultimately it’s going to come down to Ryan Callahan. He’s a pretty tough kid. I would suspect he’d come back quicker than most.” There was little doubt in the mind of Alain Vigneault, who coach Callahan in New York. “I would expect him to be there (Saturday) knowing him and knowing what he is,” said Vigneault … Will inspirational Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello appear in this series after missing all of Round 2 with a concussion? “There’s always hope,” said Vigneault, who was asked if Zuccarello has started skating yet. “I think he has started doing everything but.” … Cooper encouraged people who don’t see enough of defenceman Anton Stralman to watch him closely this series. “I’ve used this line about Anton: he may not win the Norris Trophy, but his partner will,” said Cooper. “That’s how good he can make you look.” … Stralman, a 28-year old Swede who was a seventh-round pick of the Leafs in 2005, was signed by the Lighting as a free agent in the summer. He had spent the previous three seasons in Rangers blue. Cooper said of all the defenceman in the league, he’d be “hard pressed not to take Stralman” in his top five.

POINT TO POINT:Give Stamkos a 1 p.m. start any day. “I enjoy them personally,” he said. “Not much time to think. You get up, have something to eat, go to the rink and get ready to play. After this we go from one extreme to the other with the 8 p.m. starts. I like the 1 p.m.” Said teammate Brian Boyle: “I’m grumpy in the morning.” … In the eyes of some, Tampa goal Ben Bishop is not getting the recognition he deserves. Cooper points out that most of those who are being lauded more are no longer in the playoffs. Said Bishop: “That doesn’t bother me at all. At this time of the year every goalie you play is going to be a great goalie. I try not to look at the headlines too much anyway.” ... Rangers winger Tanner Glass missed Friday's practice but is expected to be in the lineup for Game 1.