Ovechkin and Malkin rivalry?

[diehardfan 0]

What the history behind Ovechkin and Malkin's rivalry? Did it start with the OV's hit on Malkin or has it been brewing before that and why?

[Cavs019 710]

Pretty sure they are good friends that just play extremely hard.

[mack 44]

That's my guess on it. Sure there's some weird story about AO and Malkin's agent going at it, but when I played friends there was a rivalry there to try and outplay the other in any way you could. After the game we're back to friends, but during the game it would be a little intense.

[Prhockey2607 0]

I've heard that they aren't really friends at all, but they get along when they play together for Russia

[interpathway 9]

Don't forget that they used to be roommates as well.

[diehardfan 0]

from what I heard, they are NOT friends. Pierre McGuire commented on this issue lately and said there was a stare down b/w these two at a hotel, team-mates had to step in.

[pantherfan 0]

Hot diggity a good old fashioned stare down, any word on who won Ovey I bet!?

[streak 0]

I heard the rivalry comment as well. They were saying Russia was worried about the Olympics

[Fire0nIce228 1]

They are definately not friends.. I believe the rivalry was a semi-friendly one before Ovey tried to run Malkin last season that Malkin pretty much shrugged offand they've seem to be going at it ever since. Obviously if you saw the game last week you could see Ovechkin, in my opinion, flat out running Malkin for most of the game unneccisarily.

I have also heard Russia and 2010 concerns,I'm sure both will play but..

[camhockey16 5]

i would guess if nothing else they would be on different lines - i just wonder what they would do on the powerplay

[SuperMan3 1]

I remember watching some type of Pimp Your Garage show with Ovechkin on it, and there was a Malkin One90 hanging on the wall.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

Did anybody catch the show "Day in the Life" on the NHL Network earlier? Right after I read this thread I watched it, and in the intro it shows Ovechkin talking to Malkin as they're going to the benches. I can't really tell what Ovie says cause his English is kinda broken but it sounds like "I'm gonna hit you hard baby. I'm gonna hit you hard boys." I'm assuming at first he's talkin to just Malkin, and then the whole Pittsburgh bench. Nice.

[jbyun04 7]

I remember watching some type of Pimp Your Garage show with Ovechkin on it, and there was a Malkin One90 hanging on the wall.

He used to collect other star player's sticks after the game. I don't know if he still does or not.

[McCabe#1 0]

They did a story on this on CBC last Saturday night. Apparently they do hate each other and have refused to play together, which the Russians are worried about for 2010. There was also a story that they were in the same restaurant recently and the two just stared at each other, and eventually they had to move one of them. This was what was reported on the CBC on Hockey Night in Canada.

[dangle 0]

They're professional athletes. I'm sure they can represent their country and play together.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I'm sure they could play okay together but you have to remember, traveling, hotel, locker room presence etc. If these guys are at each others throats when competing, their teammates surely will know it and it could very well be awkward or kill the vibe in the room, which could potentially de-rail Russias hopes.

[WhiskeyTango19 0]

Maybe the next time the Caps and Pens play, they can drop the gloves and get it out of thier systems. Those are two big boys... I'm sure it would be a good scrap.

In my experiences playing against guys I hated, usually after one good punch-in-the-face contest, things are pretty much solved and we are usually civil to each other after that.

[camhockey16 5]

the whole rivalry seems a little one sided to me - i dont think i have seen malkin really take a run at ovechkin yet - all i see is him diving out of the way and trying to defend himself from getting flattened. it is very stange - i'm sure there is a good story behind why - but i doubt we will ever know it.

[pat19 0]

Maybe the next time the Caps and Pens play, they can drop the gloves and get it out of thier systems. Those are two big boys... I'm sure it would be a good scrap.

That's exactly what they should do, have two star players ever really fought each other in a good scrap like that though?

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Iginla n Lecav come to mind.

[start_today 773]

Malkin's and Ovey's quotes regarding that game:

Malkin: "Ovechkin is a great player, but every time he hits me—I don't know why"

Ovechkin: "It's just a hockey game. I hit hard with everybody."

[phunky_monkey 6]

Maybe the next time the Caps and Pens play, they can drop the gloves and get it out of thier systems. Those are two big boys... I'm sure it would be a good scrap.

In my experiences playing against guys I hated, usually after one good punch-in-the-face contest, things are pretty much solved and we are usually civil to each other after that.

It's a funny thing that... When I was playing years ago, I had rivalries with a few opposing players who I played against in Inline and Ice, both sides taking cheap shots, runs etc. I ended up playing representative hockey with them later on, and there were no grudges at all.

[Aussie Joe 0]

Same here Monk,

There is one guy I continually have a rivalry with. We cannot stand each other and whilst I win the majority of one on one battles his team always wins the games.

Lots of fun to be honest, the guy always loses his temper in our clashes and goes for the slash. I laugh because I clearly have the mental edge.

PS: Got put in a headlock yesterday for stoping a guy on a rush. Looks like another rivalry bubbling, although Im not the only one this guy hates.

[Trooper 8]

the whole rivalry seems a little one sided to me - i dont think i have seen malkin really take a run at ovechkin yet - all i see is him diving out of the way and trying to defend himself from getting flattened. it is very stange - i'm sure there is a good story behind why - but i doubt we will ever know it.

Yeah, it's pretty much Ovy running around trying to kill Malkin. The local reporters were saying that the Pens really didn't go after Ovy because he was pretty much taking himself out of the game better than they could have so they just let him go. He was invisible that game other than the runs and had no points.

[shooter27 116]

I'm sure they could play okay together but you have to remember, traveling, hotel, locker room presence etc. If these guys are at each others throats when competing, their teammates surely will know it and it could very well be awkward or kill the vibe in the room, which could potentially de-rail Russias hopes.

Kinda of like Tiger and Mickleson on the US Ryder Cup team.