Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are two of the most iconic modern day NHL stars to grace the rink. They are unquestionably generational talents, and having risen in the league around the same time, their exceptional abilities made them fierce rivals.
Interestingly, while being two of the greatest of all time, they play very different styles. Alex Ovechkin is a pure goal scorer with a strong physical presence on the ice. He was always been sharp shooter, and till now has racked up 928 goals and 756 assists for a total of 1684 points in 1570 games.
Sidney Crosby, on the other hand, is a more complete player, having been more of a playmaker. Crosby is well-known for his leadership abilities, and he has always shown remarkable defensive awareness. With his incredible talent, Crosby has managed to secure 654 goals and 1107 assists for a total of 1761 points in 1419 games across 22 seasons.
Both players were chosen first overall in the NHL Draft. During the 2004 NHL Draft, the Washington Capitals picked Alex Ovechkin, and he has been an integral part of the team since then. The Pittsburgh Penguins, on the other side, selected Sidney Crosby in the 2005 NHL Draft, and he, too, has been a one-team player since.
Despite being separated by a year, the two began their NHL careers together and quickly rose to the top of their clubs’ rosters.
When it comes to two players’ Stanley Cup records, Sidney Crosby held a significant advantage for a long time. Crosby earned the most coveted prize in hockey three times through his career (2009, 2016, and 2017). Ovechkin eventually closed the gap by breaking through with his team in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the championship.
Tracing Sidney Crosby vs Alex Ovechkin’s most iconic matchups
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have faced off against each other on several occasions during the regular season. However, the most talked-about aspect of their rivalry has been their playoff encounters. The two competed against each other in three postseason playoff series, and Sidney Crosby led the Penguins to victory on all three occasions.
Their first meeting occurred during the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals, when both Crosby and Ovechkin were in their primes. They each recorded hat tricks in Game 2, but the Penguins ultimately won the series 4–3. The two teams met again in the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where Crosby once again led from the front as the Penguins secured a 4–2 series win.
The third and final time Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin faced off against each other in the playoffs was during the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals where once again, the Penguins won after a closely contested series 4–3. While the two players were often portrayed as fierce rivals by the media, they have also maintained a deep mutual respect for one another.
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