Ovechkin-Crosby rivaly heats up

Feb 22, 2009 - 10:30 PM By Bob Birge PA SportsTicker Staff Writer

The already intense rivalry between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby was turned up a notch Sunday as the two superstars exchanged words after bumping into each other late in the second period of the Washington Capitals' 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The two weren't close to dropping the gloves, but they did exchange shoves, and the brief scrap certainly spiced up the post-game comments.

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

"That's what I expect from him. I don't like it personally, but there's nothing you can do."

Washington coach Bruce Boudreau, however, blamed Crosby, who has gained a reputation for being one of the league's biggest complainers.

"Well, (Crosby) started it," Boudreau said. "He was jawing at everybody. When he came off, you saw him talking to our bench and we were talking to him. He got frustrated because he hadn't had the freedom in this building he was used to."

Prior to Sunday, the Penguins had won their last four games in Washington. In their previous visit to the nation's capital, Crosby scored two goals in the Penguins' 4-2 win on March 9.

"It's spice," Boudreau said of the rivalry between Ovechkin and Crosby.

"It's entertainment. It gets your blood boiling. Every time Alex ends up getting excited, it's good for us because it gets his adrenaline going."

Ovechkin, who scored his league-high 43rd goal Sunday, tried to downplay the rivalry with Crosby.

"It's still (Evgeni) Malkin, (Ovechkin), Crosby, (Alexander) Semin and (Sergei) Fedorov," he said. "Everybody. It's still Russians and Capitals against Pittsburgh. It's not a personal thing. It's our team against their team."

Ovechkin merely shrugged when asked to react to a story in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated claiming that Crosby, the NHL's second leading scorer behind teammate Malkin, is the league's best player.

"Ovechkin, he's in top five," the reigning Hart Trophy winner said, speaking in the third person. "Crosby, he's in top three, top two."

However, Washington has dominated Pittsburgh this season, winning all three meetings, and will look to complete a sweep of the series when it hosts the Penguins again on March 8.

Ovechkin was the best player on the ice Sunday. While he only scored one goal, he also picked up an assist and put on a dazzling show with a game-high nine shots. Crosby also had an assist, but managed only three shots.

Ovechkin has bothered some hockey old-timers with his overzealous goal celebrations, to which Boudreau says too bad.

"If it ticks off the old purists, then boo-hoo on them," Boudreau said. "It's great to show how excited you are."

Pittsburgh defenseman Hal Gill understands that the league loves the rivalry between Ovechkin and Crosby. The only thing better than the four regular-season meetings would be if they met in the playoffs for the first time.

"It's good for the league," Gill said. "I don't think it's anything that's over the top. You just try not to let (Ovechkin) score - problem solved."