It's all about Crosby and Ovechkin

From NHL.com

Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry takes center stage
Wednesday, 04.29.2009 / 3:55 PM / 2009 Playoffs Conference Semifinals
By Rocky Bonanno - NHL.com Staff Writer

Even with all the exciting young talent the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals possess, you know this series is going to be heralded as the ultimate showdown of "Sid the Kid" and "AO."

And with good reason. For the four seasons they have been in the NHL, the media has put the hype machine on overdrive to create a Sidney Crosby-Alexander Ovechkin rivalry. But this season, the two players finally began to stir the pot themselves, as evidenced by their back-and-forth exchange following the third regular-season meeting. You'll read these quotes over and over again in the coming days…

"What I can say about him? He is a good player, but he talks too much."

-- Ovechkin on Crosby

"Like it or lump it, that's what he does. Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it."

-- Crosby on Ovechkin's goal celebrations

The regular-season series also saw a feud emerge between the ultra-competitive Ovechkin and fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin of the Pens. They were chosen 1-2, respectively, in the 2004 Entry Draft.

"Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me - I don't know why," Malkin said after the first meeting. Ovechkin explained, "It's just a hockey game. I hit hard with everybody."

As for the facts, the record shows the second-seeded Capitals won three of four against the No. 4 Penguins in the regular season, outscoring them 18-11. Pittsburgh's only victory came in a shootout, thanks to Crosby's game-deciding goal, in the final meeting.

In the four games, Ovechkin scored 4 goals and 6 points, and Crosby led the Pens with 1 goal and 7 points. In 15 regular-season matchups since 2005-06, Crosby (8-16-24) has outscored Ovechkin (6-9-15).

Washington and Pittsburgh have met in the postseason seven previous occasions, six won by the Penguins. In 42 games, the Pittsburgh holds a 26-16 advantage in wins and has outscored the Capitals, 137-121. They last met in the 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, won by the Penguins in six games.

Here is how these teams fared during their regular-season matchups.

Oct. 16: Washington 4 at Pittsburgh 3
What a dandy of a first meeting. Pittsburgh took a 3-0 second-period lead with three power-play goals only to see the Caps storm back with four straight. Boyd Gordon scored the winning goal with 4:17 remaining in the third period. Washington took 21 shots in the final 20 minutes to fuel the rally.

Tomas Fleischmann, Michael Nylander and Alexander Semin each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals. Malkin led the Pens with a goal and two assists.

"We kept pushing and pushing," said Ovechkin, who was scoreless. "Maybe we were sleeping the first two periods, I don't know, but we weren't playing our hockey. The first period we were terrible, we were giving them lots of chances to score goals."

Jan. 14: Washington 6 at Pittsburgh 3
Ovechkin led the attack with two goals and an assist in a game that saw Pittsburgh blow two leads and Washington once. Tied 3-3 early in the third period, the Caps scored three straight in the final 11:49 with Fleischmann scoring the go-ahead goal. Washington outshot the Pens 42-29.

Nicklas Backstrom had three assists for the Capitals. Viktor Kozlov, Semin and Jeff Schultz also scored goals. Miroslav Satan had a goal and an assist, and Crosby added two assists for the Penguins.

Crosby left late in the game after a collision with David Steckel along the boards. He limped off the ice, favoring his leg. Soon after he went to the dressing room and did not return. Crosby was forced to miss Pittsburgh's next game two days later with a lower-body injury.

This was also the first meeting between these teams since Semin's controversial words in an interview two weeks earlier in which he said, "What's so special about (Crosby)? I don't see anything special there."

Feb. 22: Pittsburgh 2 at Washington 5
Washington never trailed in winning its third straight against the Penguins. The Capitals scored two first-period power-play goals and limited Pittsburgh to one power-play goal in eight opportunities.

Semin (1-2-3), Ovechkin (1-1-2), Sergei Fedorov (1-1-2) and Nicklas Backstrom (0-2-2) each had multiple-point games. Crosby managed only one assist and a minus-2 rating.

Then came the postgame fireworks in the form of nasty quotes and hard feelings exchanged through the media. Crosby and Ovechkin engaged in a push-and-shove match late in the second period with Crosby yelling at Ovechkin. A linesman pushed Ovechkin back toward the bench while he responded with a dismissive "bye-bye" wave of the left hand at Crosby.

Midway through the third period, Ovechkin gave Crosby a nudge with the shoulder, and Crosby retaliated by pushing Ovechkin's upper body over the boards at the Capitals' bench. Ovechkin then took his arm and gave Crosby a squeeze around the neck, and Crosby lost his helmet as a linesman stepped in. An agitated Crosby was restrained by the official, and Ovechkin responded with a wave as he hopped the boards onto the bench.

"I was just skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind," Crosby said. "So I just gave him a shot back. That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it."

"I play hard. If he wants to do something like hit me again, try to hit me again -- and I'll talk to you guys (about) who plays dirty," Ovechkin said. "That's my game. It's not cheap shots, it's a game moment. But he doesn't like it, it's his problem."

March 8: Pittsburgh 4 at Washington 3 (SO)
The Penguins squandered a 3-1 third-period lead, but were saved by Crosby's shootout winner. The win capped the first 5-0 road trip in Pittsburgh franchise history. The Penguins were a different team than the previous three meetings with new players Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz, and new coach Dan Bylsma.

After Crosby converted Pittsburgh's second shootout attempt, Ovechkin had his chance to extend the game another round, but goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury kicked away his wrist shot.

"Great ones seem to have the game on the line when it's their turn," Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said. "Tonight it was Sidney's time to have the game on the line, and he's a great one. And he made no mistake when it was his turn."

Brooks Laich had a goal and an assist in the third-period comeback for the Capitals. Guerin led the Penguins with a goal and 2 assists

After the game, Crosby was asked about the possibility of meeting Washington in the playoffs. "If that was the case, I'm sure it would be pretty intense, pretty emotional," he said.