Whenever the Washington Capitals play the Pittsburgh Penguins the focus is inevitably placed on the rivalry between Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. After being drafted #1 overall in consecutive years (Ovechkin in 2004 and Crosby in 2005) and entering the NHL at the same time following the lockout, the two young players quickly rose to superstardom. Now, they are the two premier hockey players in the world and the faces of the league. Much of the buildup surrounding the annual Winter Classic that will take place on Saturday in Pittsburgh has focused on the competition between Ovechkin and Crosby but it’s important to recognize that this game has a lot more substance than a collision of two superstars.
For starters, the more important rivalry that will be showcased in the Winter Classic is that of the two franchises. The Capitals and Penguins were members of the Patrick Division before the league was restructured so there is an extensive history between the clubs. Factor in eight post-season meetings and things start to get bitter quick. It certainly doesn’t help that the Caps have been the perennial playoff whipping posts for the Pens by losing seven of the eight series.
Especially painful for this Capitals squad is the way that the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals played out. There were fireworks from both sides including a ferocious game two that featured hat tricks from both Ovechkin and Crosby. Some late heroics by David Steckel in game six forced the series to a decisive game seven. And then, at home in Washington with momentum on their side, the Capitals came out flat and found themselves down 5-0 in the second period. They would ultimately finish their season with an embarrassing 6-2 loss in front of their home crowd. To add insult to injury the Penguins would go on to win the Stanley Cup after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers and then the Detroit Red Wings.
Setting aside the history between the two teams, this game is a crucial one for the present Eastern Conference standings. The Penguins are currently in first place with 53 points with the Capitals trailing them by only four points. The Eastern Conference playoff race, as well as that of the Southeast and Atlantic Divisions, is very tight. In the Southeast, Washington is tied with Tampa Bay at 49 points but the Lightning have played one less game. Pittsburgh has a two point lead over Philadelphia in the Atlantic but the Flyers have two games in hand. More important than any of the hype surrounding the battle between Ovechkin and Crosby or even the Winter Classic itself is the fact that two very important points are up for grabs. The Capitals have a chance to regain the Southeast Division lead and close the gap on the Penguins while a Pittsburgh win would provide a bit more breathing room as the NHL season enters its latter half.
Another unfortunate consequence of the focus placed on Ovechkin and Crosby is that some truly outstanding players are forced out of the limelight to a certain extent. Evgeni Malkin is a former Art Ross Trophy winner, the Capitals have an all-world talent at center in Nicklas Backstrom, and Mike Green is one of the premiere defenseman in the league. Then there’s the incredible skill of Alexander Semin and the intimidating physical presence of the Penguins’ Brooks Orpik. How about Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang who is having a fantastic season and making an early case for the Norris Trophy or the standout defensive duo of rookie John Carlson and Karl Alzner who have excelled in a vastly increased role for Washington? Even the coaching match-up is an intriguing one. Washington’s Bruce Boudreau has the best regular season record since 2007 and Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma brought home the Stanley Cup in his first season at the helm. These are just a few of the many names that could make this year’s Winter Classic the best to date and it’s important to remember that Ovechkin and Crosby will not be out on the ice playing one on one for 60 minutes.
That being said, the Winter Classic is incredibly important for the NHL and it is understandable that the league would want to showcase its two top talents. The outdoor game draws the highest ratings of any regular season contest and rivals the Stanley Cup Finals in that regard. Exposure of this magnitude is a blessing for the NHL and focusing on the rivalry between Ovechkin and Crosby is sound marketing. Hollywood would have a hard time improving on the script that has been written for this one as both Ovechkin and Crosby will enter the game with 571 career points. The skill of both players will be on display for all to see in a truly unique setting. However, as the two superstars clash on New Year’s Day at Heinz Field, keep in mind that the Winter Classic is about more than these two young men. It’s also about two franchises with a lot of history between them, a collection of great players in both organizations, and two valuable points in the standings.
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