NHL Game of the Week: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals

Who doesn’t love to see a good old-fashioned division rivalry come to blows once more during the annual NHL season?

How about a rivalry between two players with massive success who have been in the league for about two decades?

This week is a must-watch as not only is it the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the Washington Capitals, but once again it is another clash between two hockey legends, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.

This game will be taking place at the Capital One Arena in Washington, giving the Capitals a home-ice advantage.

Two of the most generational players of their time, Crosby and Ovechkin who both made their debuts for their respective teams during the 2005-06 NHL season have been the flag bearers ever since.

Both captains in the latter stages of their careers know what it is like to win the Stanley Cup. Crosby won three in 2009, 2016 and 2017 while Ovechkin won his one and only in 2018.

Time is ticking for both of them, with them knowing they only have so many chances left to add yet another Stanley Cup to their long list of achievements.

Even though it is still early in the season, a win here for either team is always one small step closer to securing a spot in the playoffs and knocking down the competition slightly.

The animosity between these two teams is always an interesting game whether it is in the regular season or the playoffs.

The Penguins have had a rough start to their season, with many defensive struggles that have cost them multiple games they originally had the lead in. They notably went on a six-game losing streak after a historic victory for Crosby and Evgeni Malkin over the Buffalo Sabres.

Pittsburgh has been heading into a downward slope with a losing record the past two seasons, which is beginning to head in the direction of a third straight season. Currently, they sit near the bottom of the standings.

The Capitals however have not been having those issues. They have been firing on all cylinders with the intent of getting to the top of the Metropolitan Division.

Ovechkin and the Capitals have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in the early stages of the NHL season this year and have put themselves in a good position in the standings.

Throughout the years, Crosby has managed to get the better of Ovechkin in their head-to-head exchanges during the regular season and the playoffs.

Pittsburgh is looking to keep their season alive and move up the standings at the expense of the Capitals in hopes of reaching the playoffs after missing them for two consecutive seasons.

Washington is the team that coincidentally put the nail in the coffin for the Penguins last season with a win over the Philadelphia Flyers. This win eliminated Pittsburgh from playoff contention.

Another win here could continue to send their rivals into a hole they might not be able to climb out of.

This is either the team’s game for the taking in another game that will continue to add to the legacy of this heated rivalry.

Hudson Hvizdak is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email hph5358@psu.edu.