Something incredibly rare has just happened for the first time in 20 years involving Crosby and Ovechkin

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Daniel Lucente
November 6, 2024 (5:27 PM)

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For the first time in two decades, both Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Capitals' Alex Ovechkin have been named NHL stars of the week at the same time.

Ever since they came into the NHL in October 2005, Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby have been bitter rivals who could easily make people compare them to rivalries like Bird and Magic of the NBA. In times when these two battle on the ice, it has been one of those rivalries in hockey that keeps fans glued worldwide. Each of these players makes his counterpart rise to new heights. Both have left indelible marks on the league, creating memorable moments and achieving personal and team success.

Ovechkin and Crosby have won some of the biggest pieces of hardware in hockey, including the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, and Conn Smythe. They even teamed up to take home the Breakaway Challenge during the NHL's All-Star skills competition. But despite all those accolades, there was one thing that had always alluded the pair: being named NHL Stars of the Week in the same week.

That milestone finally came this past Monday. Ovechkin was the NHL's First Star of the Week, posting 9 points, with 5 goals and 4 assists, in four games. Crosby took Third Star with 7 points in three games, through 4 goals and 3 assists. Their star turns in the same week served to remind us that these two icons continue to amaze nearly two decades into their careers.

The two stars have consistently been named Stars of the Week during their careers, with Ovechkin reaching the honor 32 times, including 21 first-place selections. Crosby has been chosen 33 times, with 12 first-place finishes. NHL Network added that award tracking started in the 2006-07 season, thus excluding their rookie seasons.

That both have been named NHL Stars of the Week in the same week speaks volumes about what Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby's rivalry has meant to the league. Both players are getting older, but their exceptional skills continue to drive the league to this day, with both solidifying their legacies among the all-time greats of the game.