"In the second period he hit me near the boards and I just wanted to tell him it was a cheap shot, sticking his leg in behind mine."
Sidney Crosby
Washington Post
EDIT 9PM: Alternate angle video courtesy of PensFan8725. Does that one look any different?
Really don't know how to take this one. Frankly there are so many different angles to spin this, much like the now legendary Alexander Semin quote. Be sure to keep your eyes open to see if the ol' newspapers fire away with something tonight/tomorrow.
Personally I don't see where it's a dirty hit. This is one of those examples of "finishing checks." Ovechkin is familiar with how Sid plays. Who's to say Sid wasn't seconds away from cutting back down the boards? Ovechkin, much to his credit, played some heads up hockey and gave Crosby no option at all. As for that whole 'foot behind me' thing I don't see it. That's all shoulder right there.
It's moments like this where I really feel Sid is just better off not saying anything at all. The problem is the media hounds him before and after every game, so he's bound to let a little something like this slip.
Is it an isssue? No, not at all. All it does is give Sid-haters more grounds for making whatever nefarious claim they wish to make. The hit, the quote - I see nothing wrong.
But like I said before - let's see how others choose to spin this.