Team captains Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin showed proof of their leadership skills as they paved the way for their respective teams and led them to victory during the night towards Sunday, Swedish time. Crosby scored twice in the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 3-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens, while Ovechkin had three points (1+2) for the Washington Capitals in a 7-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The two seasoned stars, who joined the league as rookies in the 2005-06 season, show that they are still among the sport’s absolute best players and are extremely important to their teams.
– When it comes to Crosby, a lot is about determination, says Penguins coach Mike Sullivan to NHL.com/sv. All players go through ebbs and flows in production during the season, but Crosby has the ability to force himself out of slumps through sheer willpower. He is a great leader for the team.
– “Ovi” is in a good place right now. He is hungry and charged, says Capitals coach Spencer Carbery about his team captain. He spreads energy and enthusiasm around him and leads by example on the ice.
Crosby opened the season by scoring just one goal in the opening games for a sluggish Penguins (3-7-1). Now the 37-year-old has scored two goals in the last two games and has seven points (4+3) in the last three games.
– Sometimes when you chase a goal, it instead leads to you hesitating and guessing too much out on the ice, says Crosby. It inhibits the game and becomes a vicious spiral that can be difficult to break out of. For me, it helps to go back to the basics and do the fundamental things right. Be right in the positional game, work hard and then trust that the chances will come.
With the two goals in the game against the Canadiens, Crosby is now three goals away from reaching the next milestone in his career: 600 goals in the NHL. With his rising form and the fine chemistry with chain mates Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell, there is a good chance for more to arrive in the coming week with games against the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Capitals.
