Legends collide as Penguins take on desperate Capitals

Two NHL legends meet for what may be the final times when Alex Ovechkin's Washington Capitals and Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins play a home-and-home set this weekend, starting Saturday in Pittsburgh.

With the 40-year-old Ovechkin nearing the end of the final season of a five-year contract, speculation abounds whether he will return for a 22nd season in 2026-27. That decision is not imminent.

"When you love something, you do it with heart," Ovechkin said in an interview posted by the Capitals this week. "Obviously, I love playing hockey, I love scoring goals. ... We're going to make a decision in the summer."

Saturday marks the 100th time the pair have met counting regular-season and playoff games. It will be the 75th meeting in the regular season.

In the 74 prior contests, Crosby has 35 goals and 62 assists for 97 points while Ovechkin has 38 goals and 32 assists for 70 points, according to NHL.com. They have scored a goal in the same game 11 times in the regular season.

"It's history, what we have for 20 years, (playing) against each other," Ovechkin said of his battles with Crosby. "I think the whole situation around Ovi and Sid was big time."

The Penguins are 43-27-4 in regular-season meetings, while Washington is 31-33-10.

Saturday's game has importance outside of the historical aspect. While the Penguins have clinched a playoff berth and are locked into second place in the Atlantic Division, the Capitals remain in playoff contention but time is running out.

With Washington (40-30-9, 89 points) trailing Ottawa by five points for the second wild-card spot with three games remaining -- and with three teams in between -- the Capitals' primary target is Philadelphia, which holds the third spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The Capitals trail the Flyers (92 points) by three points with the Islanders (91 points) and Blue Jackets (90 points) in between. Each team has three games remaining.

"If we win each game, we give ourselves a chance," veteran forward Tom Wilson said after a 4-0 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. "I mean, we can't control what's going on around the league. So, you know, we have a small sample size left."

The Capitals have qualified for the playoffs in 16 of Ovechkin's 20 previous NHL seasons.

Pittsburgh (41-22-16, 98 points) clinched its playoff berth with a 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Penguins return to the postseason for the first time since the 2021-22 season under first-year coach Dan Muse.

"It's exciting. That's why you play," Crosby said. "That's the best time of year, so to know that we're going be there and to set out to do that and obviously even more, it's nice to get rewarded. Everybody has had a part in this."

Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, key members of the Pittsburgh teams that won three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017), each had a part in the clincher. Malkin had a goal and an assist, Crosby had two assists and Letang had one assist.

"I'm thrilled for everybody, but like these guys (Crosby, Malkin, Letang), what they've done for the game, it's amazing," Muse said. "They should be in the playoffs, and they're back, and I'm so thrilled for them."

Crosby now has 1,107 assists, two behind Joe Thornton for seventh-most in NHL history.

In the teams' first meeting, Crosby scored twice to lead the Penguins to a 5-3 win on Nov. 6 in Pittsburgh. Ovechkin had two assists.