Penguins Sit Stars Crosby and Malkin Ahead of Capitals Matchup

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have scratched star players Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, along with several other key starters, just hours before hosting the Washington Capitals and star forward Alex Ovechkin. The highly anticipated 100th meeting between Crosby and Ovechkin has been postponed as the Penguins rest their players ahead of the playoffs.

Why it matters

The Penguins have already clinched a playoff spot, so they are taking the opportunity to rest their top players like Crosby and Malkin, who have both been dealing with injuries recently. This decision impacts the much-anticipated matchup between Crosby and Ovechkin, two of the NHL's all-time greats, and could affect the Capitals' slim playoff hopes.

The details

The Penguins announced that Crosby is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Malkin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. In addition to Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins also scratched forwards Ben Kindel and Bryan Rust, as well as defensemen Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson, and Parker Wotherspoon. The Capitals are still mathematically alive for the playoffs, but likely need to win their final three games and get some help to make the postseason.

• Crosby missed a month earlier this season after injuring his knee while playing for Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
• Malkin has missed nearly 20 games this season with various health issues.
• The Penguins clinched a playoff spot two days ago with a victory over the New Jersey Devils.

What’s next

The Penguins and Capitals are scheduled to meet again on April 13, which could be the 100th career matchup between Crosby and Ovechkin if both players are healthy and able to play.