Though it may not mean as much in the standings this season with Pittsburgh struggling, last night's game between the Penguins and Capitals was another entertaining chapter in what's become one of the NHL's top rivalries. It's also fairly unique in the hobby in the sense that the teams' star players, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, are the top two players in their sport among collectors.
Rivalries between superstars definitely ignite the passions of hobbyists, and it's hard to think of a similar current situation in any of the other major sports. The closest thing I could think of would be LeBron James and Kobe Bryant in the NBA, but they play each other just twice a season.
The Pens and Caps see each other four times, and can easily collide in the playoffs as well. Add in the fact that Ovechkin doesn't get along with Evgeni Malkin, another player popular with hockey collectors, and you've got the recipe for something that can be special for years to come.
Just something to think about the next time Washington and Pittsburgh get together - which, by the way, will be on March 8.
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