That said, he and [Sidney Crosby] have been careful not to inflame their rivalry in the days leading up to the series. Crosby this week talked about the personality differences between the two, while [Ovechkin] flat out said: "Let's talk about Pittsburgh and the Capitals, not about me and Crosby."

The two have been billed as the league's rising stars since entering the NHL simultaneously in 2005. They seemed ready to come to blows at a Feb. 22 game in Washington, when Ovechkin got tired of Crosby's mouth and Crosby showed his disdain for Ovechkin's theatrics.