Alex Ovechkin remains just one goal away from becoming the first player in NHL history to score 900 career goals. Ovechkin’s next opportunity to score the milestone marker comes on Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues, but if he can’t do it then, he could do it against a few familiar faces with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.
The Capitals and Penguins are set to square off in Pittsburgh for the first of three rivalry games against each other this season. Ahead of that matchup, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby spoke about the prospect of Ovechkin potentially lighting the lamp for goal number 900 in Thursday’s game and putting that sort of achievement into words from his perspective.
“He scores a lot, so…,” Crosby said, smiling. “Yeah, I mean, I wouldn’t know, but it’s something that I said when he got the record that I think a lot of people, myself, probably him included, thought that it would be pretty difficult to get that many goals.
“But, yeah, he’s just continued to find ways year after year. To be that consistent and that productive is pretty hard to even fathom. So I think, yeah, it’s a credit to him and just his consistency and his ability to find ways to score goals.”
Ovechkin has 43 career goals against the Penguins in 80 games, scoring once against them in four games last season. The Great 8 is struggling to dent the twine so far this year, registering just two goals in his first 12 games. His seven-point start to the season is the worst of his career.
Meanwhile, Crosby has been red-hot to begin the 2025-26 campaign, posting 17 points (9g, 8a) in 14 games for a surprisingly strong Penguins team. The Pens, who missed the playoffs for a third straight season last year, currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with 18 standings points from their 8-4-2 record.
Thursday’s game between the Capitals and Penguins will be the 74th featuring Ovechkin and Crosby on opposing sides. Crosby was asked about the special, long-term nature of their rivalry, as both debuted during the 2005-06 season.
“Yeah, I think it’s great,” Crosby said. “It was great when we first started playing against each other, as far as just the rivalry and bringing the best out of everyone. I think it was great for hockey and still is. I think that’s something that, it’s rare that you come in when we did at the same time, and that you have playoff series and same division and that sort of thing. So the way it’s worked out has been pretty unique that way.”
Ovechkin and Crosby have been in the same division since 2013, playing each other nearly four times a year. The two teams have also matched up against each other in the playoffs four different times during their careers.
Crosby has 1,704 career points (634g, 1,070a) in 1,366 games, while Ovechkin has 1,630 points (899g, 731a) in 1,503 games.
