On Friday, the longtime rivals return to their more familiar roles as mortal enemies when Ovechkin’s Capitals visit Crosby’s Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
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The Capitals (30-15-5) own first place in the Metropolitan Division, but the Penguins (28-21-3) are just six points behind and gaining, using a 8-2-0 stretch to make up for time lost to an uncharacteristically slow start. Crosby is riding a 10-game point streak (three goals, 20 points). Ovechkin leads the NHL with 30 goals.
“There’s a rivalry between both teams, and I’m sure both bring out the best in each other," Crosby said Thursday. “But I think there’s some mutual respect there.”
Crosby’s hot streak has run congruently to co-star Evgeni Malkin, who had 12 goals and 19 points in January. In fact, Pittsburgh had the NHL’s first, second and fifth point producers last month — Crosby (21), Malkin (19) and Phil Kessel (17). Much of the success can be attributed to the Pens’ NHL-leading power play (26.7 percent), which has produced 10 goals in the last 10 games alone. The Capitals enter having gone 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
Pittsburgh and Washington last met Nov. 10. The season series is split at one game apiece.
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Penguins vs. Capitals
Time: 7 p.m. ET, Friday, Feb. 2
Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh
TV: CSNB, AT&TSN, TSN
Streaming: fuboTV (sign up for a 7-day free trial)
