"Coach John Tortorella may find it absurd to discuss a championship 44 games into a season, as owner James Dolan did following the Rangers' 3-0 win over Nashville on Tuesday, but Tortorella isn't angry Dolan said he thinks the team is "pretty close" to capturing its first Stanley Cup in 18 years.

In fact, both of them found it pretty funny.

After Tortorella responded on Tuesday night, having said, "I've got an owner up here talking about a Stanley Cup. That's a bunch of bull. We've got to take it one day at a time," Dolan called Tortorella yesterday morning and each laughed about the comments, having a complete understanding and appreciation for what the other said, The Post has learned."