Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby are playing in their 100th career game against each other, regular season and playoffs combined.
Dylan Strome did his part to honor one of the NHL’s greatest rivalries by getting kicked out of the opening faceoff and allowing Ovechkin to take the draw against Crosby.
Alex Ovechkin takes opening faceoff against Sidney Crosby
“GIVE ME ONE,” Ovechkin yelled to Crosby as he entered the dot, per mic’d up video posted by Monumental Sports Network.
Ovechkin lost the faceoff decisively, but the gesture showed incredible respect to the NHL legends, who have been two of the league’s best players since first entering the league in 2005-06.
Not only did Ovechkin and Crosby take the opening faceoff, but Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse also gave the start to Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The game had special significance beyond the possibility of it being the last time Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby meet; Ovechkin, who is unsure whether he will continue playing past his season, may have been playing in his final home game at Capital One Arena.
The draw was Ovechkin’s fourth faceoff of the 2025-26 season. Throughout his 21 seasons in the NHL, Ovechkin has taken 161 career draws, winning 35 percent of them.
Ovechkin also took photos with Crosby, Malkin, and Letang during pregame warmups.
