Six years later, the NHL’s two biggest stars will once again face off.

According to reports, their teams might also play.

Nate Schmidt on Ovechkin/Crosby: "We thought they would play a one-on-one game for the first period and see how that would go."

— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) April 28, 2016

Sid vs Ovi is a headline, not a story. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a talented offensive team riding a white-hot season finish under a new coach. The Washington Capitals are the league’s most successful team, armed with balanced attack and a top-tier backstop.

The Caps-Pens series of 2009 was one of the most exciting I’ve ever seen. In that battle of Sid vs Ovi, the winner was probably Malkin. Shrug. Maybe this series will be determined by star power, but that’s generally not the way this team sport works.

Now that I’ve spent this intro de-hyping tonight’s game, let’s actually get into it. Puck drop on NBCSN at 8 PM. It’s on.

Projected Lineup

Ch-ch-changes, per Isa.

Ovechkin – Backstrom – Oshie
Johansson – Kuznetsov – Williams
Chimera – Richards – Burakovsky
Winnik – Beagle – Wilson

Orpik – Carlson
Alzner – Niskanen
Orlov – Schmidt

Holtby

Sizing Up the Penguins

At 5v5, the Penguins are the best remaining team in the playoffs. The Caps, for their part, aren’t bad aside from two major swoons this season.

Special teams is more interesting. The Pens will be far more aggressive during the PK than the Flyers were, but their power play may have some holes for the Caps to exploit.

Spenser (RMNBMVP) also offers some great analysis on how important neutral zone play will be. If you ask me, and this is a cop-out, I think this series will be decided in net.

Storylines

• Karl Alzner is banged up, but he’s in. Brooks Orpik, who probably had a concussion but no one will admit it, is a game-time decision.
• Braden Holtby is a Vezina finalist. He’s a favorite to win. He’s in net tonight.
• Alex Ovechkin fired 22 shots on the Pittsburgh net this season. No goals.
• Chris talked to the Penguins about how they want to shut Ovechkin down.
• The NHL playoff bracket is all jammed up. I’d be surprised if the winners of this series and the Blues/Stars series don’t see each other in the Cup Finals.
• The Metro will be open late. Thanks, uncle Ted!
• I got wrecked in my first round predictions. Let’s try again.
• No one has ever won the Kelly Cup, the Calder Cup, and the Stanley Cup. Jay Beagle has two out of three.

Check out Beccah’s Caps Clips over at Japers Rink for more.

Defend the Steps

The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery is directly across the street from Verizon Center. Following games, Pittsburgh fans sometimes gather there to celebrate. It is very annoying.

We’ve been contacted a few times this week by folks who are worried about this gathering and want to stop it.

Don’t.

Let’s take the behavior of some fans last series as an object lesson on hospitality. Let’s do the opposite. Let’s be gracious hosts, let’s be genteel af. And anyway, confrontation and harassment seem to me to be contrary to the idea (if not the practice) of our nation’s capital.

I hope this whole issue is moot after the Caps win.

Full RMNB Coverage of Game One