The Capitals and the Penguins have a decades-long rivalry. The Caps, despite winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s best regular-season team, have lost to the Penguins in back-to-back years as Pittsburgh went on to win consecutive Stanley Cups. Overall, the Caps have lost nine of 10 playoff series against the Pens.

Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby doesn’t buy into the narrative that the Capitals have some mental hurdle against Pittsburgh or that they “give in” or choke late in their series.

Video

Crosby’s comments begin at 2:27 in the video.

“I thought they were pretty relentless the last couple years, too,” Crosby said, in response to a reporter asking him if this year’s Capitals team felt different. “The games are separated by one goal here, mistake here, mistake there. I didn’t see them give in before. That’s an easy storyline because we ended up winning. But I didn’t see that. I don’t see it this year, and I didn’t see it before. It’s been tight, just like it has in years prior.”

On Monday, the Capitals have the opportunity to eliminate the Penguins for the second time in team history and advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 20 years.

Full Coverage of Game Six

Headline photo: @penguins