The Capitals-Penguins rivalry has gotten progressively tamer over the years as both teams have won Stanley Cups. Feelings of mutual respect have gradually replaced whatever enmity the teams previously held.
For instance, during the All-Star Weekend, a friendship between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby was played up — Ovi even said they were “going to have a couple beers together” when they retire — and the two combined with Ovi’s son Sergei to win the Breakaway Challenge.
Now, ahead of Washington’s big Saturday night game against Pittsburgh, the Capitals’ Russian players (and one adopted Russian) broke bread with Penguins center Evgeni Malkin.
Capitals players Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Alexeyev, and Belorussian forward Aliaksei Protas (who can speak Russian) had dinner with Evgeni Malkin and his family, including son Nikita and wife Anna, on Friday night together. The photo was posted by Anna on her Telegram page.
The group can be seen posing in front of a greek salad, vegetables, and a Russian dish that appears to combine bread, cheese, and eggs.
Last season, nearly the same contingent of players caught up during the Penguins’ morning skate.
Over recent years, Malkin has formed a powerful friendship with Ovechkin attending the Capitals’ captain’s birthday party and congratulating him after scoring 700 career goals. Malkin called Ovechkin a “Russian machine” who “never stops.”
He’s also formed a ridiculous relationship with Evgeny Kuznetsov that’s included head-shaving bets, dressing up as mascots, and messing with each other’s pregame rituals.
The Capitals and Penguins play each other at 8 pm on Saturday night.
