Alexander Ovechkin was mic’d up for his 100th meeting with Sidney Crosby. At the opening faceoff, Ovechkin was heard chirping Crosby, asking him to let him win the draw.
Twenty-one years. One hundred games. Few rivalries in hockey history can match the significance of the one between Ovechkin and Crosby.
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Ovechkin and Crosby 100 games
Entering the league in the same 2005–06 season, the two have built parallel legacies in the NHL. Crosby has won three Stanley Cups and has been a point-per-game player for 21 straight seasons. Ovechkin, meanwhile, cemented his place in history by becoming the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer, surpassing the “untouchable” record previously held by Wayne Gretzky. As stars of the rival Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in the Metropolitan Division, they have now faced each other exactly 100 times as of Sunday. The milestone game at Capital One Arena carried extra emotion, as it may have been Ovechkin’s final home game in Washington.
Alexander Ovechkin chirped Crosby
He has yet to decide if—or where—he will play next season. As a result, the moment carried even more weight. At the opening faceoff, both Ovechkin and Crosby took the ice. Shortly after, Capitals center Dylan Strome was intentionally ejected from the circle, allowing Ovechkin to step in against his longtime rival. With that, and with a microphone attached, Ovechkin was caught making his request.“Give me one!” he said to Crosby.
Crosby didn’t oblige. He cleanly won the faceoff.
The Capitals went on to win the game 3–0 and still have a theoretical chance of making the playoffs. They have one game remaining, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. You can watch the hilarious and historic faceoff below.
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