Crosby, Ovechkin set to square off for 61st time

When the Penguins and Capitals take the ice tonight at PPG Paints Arena, it will be another big Metropolitan Division tilt per the usual, but for Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, it will be just another game among the dozens the two have played against one another.

Tuesday night’s game will be the 61st game with the superstar captains going head-to-head.

In the 60 games between the two teams and captains, the Penguins hold the edge with 36 wins, losing 22 times in regulation, and another two overtime losses.

From a scoring standpoint between the two players, Crosby holds the edge with 82 points (28 goals and 54 assists), while Ovechkin has scored 60 points (31 goals and 29 assists) in those same 60 games.

When factoring in postseason games, you could add another handful of games, with the two teams playing another 25+ games between their playoff series’ in 2009, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

When Kris Letang was asked about the rivalry, he said that the rivalry itself is great, but also mentioned the individual matchup of Crosby and Ovechkin, adding that it’s “great for the fans and for the hockey community.”

The Penguins currently sit in 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division with 61 points, just one point behind the New York Rangers. The Capitals sit 4 points behind the Penguins in 4th place.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.