Au Revoir Penguins!

It is a sad day in the Steelcity, Caps fans at least had the wild card contending Washington Nationals to fall back on after their team was ousted by what appeared to be a mediocre Montreal Canadiens hockey club. I hate to pick on the poor Buckos, but sometimes a target is so big you just can not miss it. They are on pace for their 6,000 consecutive season finishing under .500, and have not had a 40 home run hitter since 1973. Hab a nice summer Pens fans. I know I will especially come June 2nd, when the greatest baseball player of all time will make his MLB debut.

After watching the Caps be eliminated by the Habs, I thought to myself there can be no worse a feeling for a fan of any team. A great, if not historic season completely destroyed at the hands of Slovakian who is so hot right now that he makes Brad Pitt look like Mr. Freeze from Batman. The very second game 7 of the Caps Habs series was over, I was finally willing to put to bed that seemingly endless argument of who was a better player, Crosby or Ovechkin? The answer clearly had to be Crosby. He had the cup and the gold medal, and Ovechkin had nothing but two first round playoff exits and one second round exit courtesy of Crosby's penguins. After tonight's loss to Montreal, I am starting to re-rethink my position on who is currently the better player.

I will start my argument by saying, YES I naturally have a bias towards Ovechkin. However, I will try to do this in the most objective manner possible.

Crosby's Resume;
1 Stanley Cup
1 Gold Medal
1 Hart Trophy
1 Art Ross
1 Richard Trophy
506 Career Points

Ovechkin's Resume;
1 Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)
2 Hart Trophy's
1 Art Ross
2 Richard's
529 Career Points


Crosby has a Cup and a Gold Medal, but he was a no show at certain parts of last year's cup run, and was bailed out by one of the best players in the world in Evgeni Malkin. In his gold medal performance Crosby was on the most skilled team in the entire tournament, there was no reason for the Canadians to win anything but Gold. He did happen to score the GWG in ot to beat the Americans, but let's not forget he was virtually nonexistent until scoring on Ryan Miller early in that first OT session. Head to head, as individuals Ovechkin is the better player. I could have made that argument a week ago, and I would be laughed at, but now I am not so certain. When the Caps played the Habs and lost in Seven Games you would be hard pressed to find someone who did not place the blame on Alex Ovechkin. His team lost, and he is the face of the franchise, but his effort level was high and he produced 10 points in Seven games (5g 5 a). Nonetheless, Ovechkin was ridiculed by mainstream media outlets for choking and losing to an inferior Montreal team (and rightfully so). While Crosby was glorified for picking his team up and putting them "on his shoulders" and single handedly beating The Ottawa Senators, while simultaneously saving the world from an oncoming meteor.

Now, let us fast forward to tonight, Pens-Habs, Habs win Pens lose. The same Sidney Crosby who is heralded as the best player in the league is no where to be found for an entire series. Had he produced just one time over the course of 7 games The Pens would have won. He had 5 points (1g 4a) over those 7 games. To put it lightly, he and his team choked.

All I ask for from the hockey media is the same thing we ask for from Colin Campbell. And that is just a little bit of consistency. If Ovechkin and the Caps choked in this years playoffs, then so did Crosby and the Pens. Where it stands right now, The Pens are the more accomplished team, but as for who boasts the brighter star? My answer is the Caps.