Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
February 22, 2009 - Since he entered the league in 2005-06, Alex Ovechkin has been measured against the other 100-point rookie from that year, Sidney Crosby. By 2009, both superstars had helped elevate their teams from bottom-feeders vying for the number one overall draft pick to legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup. Both players had taken home the previous two MVP trophies, and along with Crosby's teammate and Ovechkin's countryman, Evgeni Malkin, made up two of the top three scorers in the league. In a much-anticipated nationally broadcast Game of the Week on NBC, the two rivals would battle in arguably their most memorable game to date. The Great 8 delivered another electric performance with highlight reel plays on seemingly every shift, but it was towards the end of the second period when the most talked-about moment of the afternoon occurred. A light but unnecessary nudge by Ovechkin on Crosby ticked off the Penguins captain, who retaliated with a shove into Ovechkin's back. Ovechkin then grabbed Crosby before the scrum was broken up by the linesman. Crosby continued to jaw at Ovechkin, who taunted Crosby with a wave. While that was the end of the in-game sparring, the two continued to butt heads in the media post-game. "I was just skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind, so I just gave him a shot back. That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it," said Crosby, not just agitated by Ovechkin's two collisions with him but several other big hits dished out by Ovechkin. "Like it or lump it, that's what he does. Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it." Ovechkin responded, "What I can say about him? He is a good player, but he talks too much." While the rivalry continued to provide drama, including the legendary "Dueling Hat Tricks" playoff game just over two months later, no game before or since has had an altercation between the two quite as heated as this one.
- 1st Period -
0:00 - Intro/pre-game interview with Pierre McGuire
1:32 - Hit on Malkin
2:04 - Shot
2:14 - Goal
3:30 - Shot and hit on Scuderi
3:37 - Nice moves and pass to Fedorov for chance
3:45 - Collision with Crosby
- 2nd Period -
5:08 - Interception and shot
5:24 - Dangle around Orpik and shot
6:07 - Assist on Shaone Morrisson goal
7:06 - Monster counter-hit on Gonchar
7:42 - Shot block off the skate
7:48 - Between the legs move and shot
8:26 - Origins of "Russian Machine Never Breaks"
8:50 - Hit on Malkin
9:27 - Chance
9:33 - Skirmish with Crosby, closest thing to a "fight" between the two that I know of
- 3rd Period -
10:00 - Deflection chance
10:27 - Hard hit on Orpik
10:36 - Counter-hit on Jordan Staal
11:05 - Pass to Nylander and hit on Talbot
11:41 - Final buzzer
12:34 - Mike Green talks about Ovi's energy in post-game interview
More classic Ovechkin games - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH8bFa0t7qpQfBYEXybnEr9NbAqFcPyyq
February 22, 2009 - Since he entered the league in 2005-06, Alex Ovechkin has been measured against the other 100-point rookie from that year, Sidney Crosby. By 2009, both superstars had helped elevate their teams from bottom-feeders vying for the number one overall draft pick to legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup. Both players had taken home the previous two MVP trophies, and along with Crosby's teammate and Ovechkin's countryman, Evgeni Malkin, made up two of the top three scorers in the league. In a much-anticipated nationally broadcast Game of the Week on NBC, the two rivals would battle in arguably their most memorable game to date. The Great 8 delivered another electric performance with highlight reel plays on seemingly every shift, but it was towards the end of the second period when the most talked-about moment of the afternoon occurred. A light but unnecessary nudge by Ovechkin on Crosby ticked off the Penguins captain, who retaliated with a shove into Ovechkin's back. Ovechkin then grabbed Crosby before the scrum was broken up by the linesman. Crosby continued to jaw at Ovechkin, who taunted Crosby with a wave. While that was the end of the in-game sparring, the two continued to butt heads in the media post-game. "I was just skating to the bench and he pushed me from behind, so I just gave him a shot back. That's hockey, and he likes to run around these days, so that was it," said Crosby, not just agitated by Ovechkin's two collisions with him but several other big hits dished out by Ovechkin. "Like it or lump it, that's what he does. Some people like it, some people don't. Personally, I don't like it." Ovechkin responded, "What I can say about him? He is a good player, but he talks too much." While the rivalry continued to provide drama, including the legendary "Dueling Hat Tricks" playoff game just over two months later, no game before or since has had an altercation between the two quite as heated as this one.
- 1st Period -
0:00 - Intro/pre-game interview with Pierre McGuire
1:32 - Hit on Malkin
2:04 - Shot
2:14 - Goal
3:30 - Shot and hit on Scuderi
3:37 - Nice moves and pass to Fedorov for chance
3:45 - Collision with Crosby
- 2nd Period -
5:08 - Interception and shot
5:24 - Dangle around Orpik and shot
6:07 - Assist on Shaone Morrisson goal
7:06 - Monster counter-hit on Gonchar
7:42 - Shot block off the skate
7:48 - Between the legs move and shot
8:26 - Origins of "Russian Machine Never Breaks"
8:50 - Hit on Malkin
9:27 - Chance
9:33 - Skirmish with Crosby, closest thing to a "fight" between the two that I know of
- 3rd Period -
10:00 - Deflection chance
10:27 - Hard hit on Orpik
10:36 - Counter-hit on Jordan Staal
11:05 - Pass to Nylander and hit on Talbot
11:41 - Final buzzer
12:34 - Mike Green talks about Ovi's energy in post-game interview
More classic Ovechkin games - youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH8bFa0t7qpQfBYEXybnEr9NbAqFcPyyq
