Crosby and Ovechkin Begin the Rivalry of a Generation

For a league trying to flog its wares after a 16-month labor war, they are a gift from the hockey gods. Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby don't need the sound and fury of a cheesy ad campaign. They can sell the NHL without any Gary Bettman bafflegab or inflated box office numbers. Just give them a clean sheet of ice.

Tuesday night's meeting between Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins and Ovechkin's Washington Capitals was the marquee game of this young season. The media hounds billed it as "this generation's Gretzky vs. Lemieux" and the inauguration of a rivalry that will match "what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did for the NBA in the 1980s."

That's a lot to ask of a couple of guys who have played barely 40 NHL games between them. But Alex and Sid are among the most precious commodities in sport: athletes who live up to the hype.

Crosby won this round, contributing a picture-perfect breakaway goal and an equally dazzling assist in the Penguins' 5-4 win. Ovechkin easily outskated the field to create several great scoring chances, but had to settle for a single assist.

The result and the numbers don't mean much in themselves - both teams appear destined to miss the playoffs. But as a snapshot of the future and an advertisement for the NHL's more wide open style, the game spoke volumes. The Ovechkin-Crosby obsession might not be fair to other outstanding rookies like Marek Svatos, Dion Phaneuf or Mike Richards. But to watch Alex or Sid play is to realize that fair's got nothing to do with it.

The Recap and the Highlight Reel

The Rookie Scoring Race

Future Crosby-Ovechkin Meetings: