Anytime Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby go head-to-head it's a showdown worth watching, but this edition holds significant meaning for their respective clubs.
The Washington Capitals are trying to maintain their hold on the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race while the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to make a late charge at the post-season.
The Capitals sit three points in front of the Penguins — who also have two teams ahead of them — going into the meeting on Thursday evening. The game can be seen on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT.
The Capitals have hit a bump in the road losing their last three games including a 6-2 blowout against the Buffalo Sabres, a team that is also chasing a playoff spot.
After going on a scoring tear, Ovechkin has not scored in the last four games after scoring eight in a five-game span.
Crosby has led the Penguins to points in their last six games going 4-0-2, and has 39 goals and 84 points in 75 games.
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