The latest meeting between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby has taken on even more of a special meaning.
The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins stars are playing on Wednesday, Oct. 7 in Washington's home opener, two days after Ovechkin announced that 2026-27 would be his final season in the NHL.
The two have been the best players of their generation. Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's record for career regular season goals and Crosby broke Gretzky's mark for seasons averaging at least a point per game.
Both No. 1 overall picks (Ovechkin in 2004 and Crosby in 2005) entered the league in 2005-06 and are the top two in the league in points during that time. Barring a playoff meeting or injury, they will meet four times this season.
USA TODAY will
provide live coverage of the first of four regular-season meetings between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Follow along:
Where to watch Capitals vs. Penguins: Channel, live stream
The Capitals vs. Penguins game at Capital One Arena is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 7.
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: TNT
- Streaming: Sling
Why is Alex Ovechkin retiring after this season?
04:45 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike BrehmHe cited his two sons as a reason.
"I have to heal my body," he told reporters on Monday, Oct. 5. "I'm not 20 years old. I want to play with my kids when they're growing up, play hockey, play soccer, play basketball. I want to be healthy to do that kind of stuff."
Penguins make trade before game
04:40 PM ET, October 7 2026, Mike BrehmThe Penguins and Oilers pulled off a small trade earlier Wednesday. Pittsburgh sent forward Filip Hallander to Edmonton for defenseman Spencer Stastney. Hallander had three points in two games this season. Stastney hasn't suited up this season. He had one goal in 36 games last season with Edmonton.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Capitals vs Penguins LIVE updates, how to watch Alex Ovechkin vs Sidney Crosby
