Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs will feature a marquee matchup between two of the greatest players in the game as Sidney Crosby and the Penguins battle Alex Ovechkin and the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals.
It's an ideal matchup for the NHL as two of the games top names lead their teams against each other in a series for the first time since 2009. It'll also mark the best team in the NHL in Washington battling the hottest team in the league in the last 16 games of the season.
Though there will certainly be a lot of buzz surrounding the storyline of two captains who transcend the sport going head-to-head, Crosby isn't looking past anyone on his team or the Capitals club.
"I think, as a player, I'm worried about making sure that you play your best and we do everything we can to move on," Crosby told NHL.com. "I think the other stuff and the storylines is up to everyone else to kind of do that. But as a player, you just focus on trying to win."
The last and only time these two captains collided in a Stanley Cup playoff series, the Capitals rushed out a 2-0 series lead only to fall to the Penguins in seven games.
Crosby and Ovechkin each had a hat trick in Game 2, which was won by Washington, but Pittsburgh had the last laugh winning that second-round series and going on to hoist Crosby's only Stanley Cup.
Ovechkin hasn't had the pleasure of lifting the greatest trophy in sports just yet. In fact, the Capitals haven't made it out of the second round yet in all the time he's been on the team.
Crosby, who has more points over his career than Ovechkin, admitted he doesn't have the potent shot that the Capitals captain possesses. The Penguins captain also won't change much about his approach despite all the eyes that will be on this matchup against Ovechkin.
"I think it brings out the best in both of us," Crosby said. "I think in the past that's been the case and I think there's a lot made of it. But at the same time we want to be at our best for our respective teams and I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
Crosby & Ovechkin By The Numbers
|
Fact/Stat |
Alex Ovechkin |
Sidney Crosby |
|
Age |
30 |
28 |
|
Draft |
No. 1 overall (2004) |
No. 1 overall (2005) |
|
Major Awards |
Calder Trophy, Hart Trophy (3) & Rocket Richard (6) |
Hart Trophy (2) & Stanley Cup (2009) |
|
2015-16 Stats |
79 GP, 50 G, 21 A & 71 P |
80 GP, 36 G, 49 A & 85 P |
|
Playoff Stats |
78 GP; 39-36-75 |
105 GP; 46-80-126 |
|
Career vs. Opponent |
44 GP, 27-19-46 (vs. PIT) |
38 GP; 19-36-55 (vs. WSH) For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook. © Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NFL News
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