On Wednesday night, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins will tangle for the first time since the Penguins ousted the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series last spring.
The Penguins and Capitals have long been the kings of the Metropolitan Division and, while the Columbus Blue Jackets are certainly making strides, the Caps and Pens remain the behemoths.
Both teams are offensively sound and strong between the pipes (although Pittsburgh goaltending has been shaky to begin the season). And let's not forget the Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin never-dying rivalry. If you aren't completely convinced, here are three reasons why Wednesday's contest is a must-watch:
"Just hatred"
When a team eliminates you from the playoffs in two straight seasons and then goes on to win the Stanley Cup - twice - chances are you're not their biggest fan.
That appears to be the case, as Capitals head coach Barry Trotz discussed the emotion felt by his club toward their Metropolitan rival.
"No, just hatred," Trotz said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "You hate the guys that bumped you out and all the credit to the Penguins. They've been the standard for the last two seasons and we've had to try to get by them and we have not."
It's not the playoffs, but you would be foolish to think that the Capitals aren't chomping at the bit to try and get some sort of redemption.
Emotions will be high, and while Capitals tough customer Tom Wilson will remain sidelined due to a suspension, Ryan Reaves and Ovechkin will almost guarantee that there is no shortage of rough stuff on Wednesday.
Crosby vs. Ovechkin
It's the storyline you just can't avoid.
Crosby and Ovechkin will go head-to-head once again and, as per usual, each are the focal point of their respected club.
Ovechkin has set the league ablaze with his seven goals through three games, including two hat tricks, and there doesn't appear to be any sign of him slowing down.
Meanwhile, Crosby has been no slouch either. The Penguins captain has tallied five points in three contests, recording at least a point in as many games.
Eyes will clearly be on these two and for good reason.
There will be goals
This shouldn't come as a surprise, but chances are we are in for some goals on Wednesday night.
Through a total of six games, the two clubs have combined for 22 goals for and 24 against. In fact, a quick look at the numbers from each team's top producers really proves just how much talent these clubs boast.
| Team | Player | Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitals | Evgeny Kuznetsov | 0 | 8 |
| Capitals | Alex Ovechkin | 7 | 7 |
| Capitals | Niklas Backstrom | 1 | 5 |
| Penguins | Sidney Crosby | 1 | 5 |
| Penguins | Evgeni Malkin | 1 | 4 |
| Penguins | Bryan Rust | 0 | 4 |
| Capitals | T.J. Oshie | 3 | 4 |
| Penguins | Jake Guentzel | 1 | 3 |
| Capitals | Jakub Vrana | 0 | 3 |
| Penguins | Olli Maatta | 2 | 3 |
Meanwhile, though the stats are largely inflated by the Penguins' 10-1 drumming at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks, Antti Niemi currently sports a 26.67 goals-against average and a .692 save percentage while Matt Murray holds a 3.84 goals-against average and a .879 save percentage.
It's hard to take those numbers too serious early on, but the point is the Penguins' goaltending is off to a rocky start, which opens up the potential for a high-scoring affair.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
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