The first minute of Wednesday night’s nationally-televised game between the Capitals an Penguins provided some serious fireworks.
Tom Wilson, in his first game against the Penguins since being suspended for hitting Zach Aston-Reese in the head, knocked out defenseman Jamie Oleksiak in a fight.
When the two teams went for a shift change, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby got into it at the bench. According to NBCSN’s Pierre McGuire, Ovechkin challenged Crosby to a fight.
Per Pierre, the conversation went like this:
Crosby, to Ovechkin: Why don’t you fight him?
Ovechkin, to Crosby: Why don’t you fight me? Stop talking.
After the game, McGuire spoke to Crosby and the Penguins captain explained what happened.
“I don’t know. I was just trying to figure out if there was going to be an instigator and he started yelling at me,” Crosby said of Ovechkin. “I don’t know what he’s looking for, but I was coming out here to play hockey, not chat with him.”
Later in the locker room, Crosby said this to the media.
Crosby on his interaction with Ovechkin: "I’m trying to find out why it wasn’t an instigator. He started yelling at me for some reason. My conversation was with the official, not with him, so I don’t know why he felt the need to come over."
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) December 20, 2018
Crosby had a goal and an assist in the game while Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet despite 14 shot attempts. Ovechkin’s 14-game point streak ended.
