Apr 17, 2025, 10:23 PM ET
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin placed on a display within the regular-season finale Thursday evening, showcasing their greatness within the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals.
Ovechkin completed his record-breaking season via netting his 897th profession purpose in the second one duration. Crosby, in the meantime, completed his twentieth season within the NHL with a purpose and an help to push him previous the 90-point barrier for the 9th time.
Editor’s Selections
2 Similar
“[Crosby and Ovechkin] are two of the best avid gamers of all time,” Pittsburgh trainer Mike Sullivan mentioned. “How lucky are we that we get to peer it up shut and feature for what number of years now? The truth that they play in the similar department is implausible as a result of that competition between Washington and Pittsburgh, and between Ovi and Sid, has been such a lot amusing simply to witness up shut.”
Pittsburgh saluted Ovechkin with a video congratulating him on changing into the NHL’s purpose king. Ovechkin skated to heart ice to recognize the group, which in brief broke out an “Ovi” chant, an indication of appreciate for one of the crucial franchise’s largest competitors.
The Penguins’ tributes to Ovechkin did not finish there. After the sport, Crosby and Evgeni Malkin stuck up with Ovechkin out of doors Capitals’ locker room and proficient him with a Rolex.
A present for #Gr8ness percent.twitter.com/dZVyhQWypI
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 18, 2025
The 73rd regular-season assembly between two of the sport’s largest stars was once the uncommon one with out stakes. The Capitals clinched the highest seed within the Japanese Convention playoffs weeks in the past. The rebuilding Penguins ignored the postseason.
The Capitals will start the search for the franchise’s 2nd Stanley Cup on Monday in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens.
“We are simply getting in the course of the recreation, to be truthful with you,” Washington trainer Spencer Carbery mentioned. “Shifting ahead and getting in a position for Montreal.”
Bryan Rust scored two times to complete the season with a career-best 31 objectives. His 2nd purpose got here on an impressive whip-around backhand feed from Crosby that gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 18 photographs for the Penguins.
Ovechkin’s purpose Thursday evening moved him 3 transparent of Wayne Gretzky, whose profession listing he smashed previous this month.
Ovechkin, 39, scored 22 objectives within the ultimate 31 video games, and his 44 objectives this season tied Corridor of Famer Gordie Howe for probably the most in a season via a participant elderly 39 or older.
The Related Press contributed to this document.
