Fans at PPG Paints Arena witnessed an emotional moment on Saturday night. The supporters of the Pittsburgh Penguins rose to their feet to honor longtime rival Alex Ovechkin during the clash between the Washington Capitals and the home team. 

Ovechkin, the captain of the Captials is well-respected in the hockey fraternity. We have seen fierce competition between the Penguins and the Capitals for decades, and a rival skater getting appreciation is not a usual thing. 

The Penguins and their fans showed a tribute to him by playing a video on the center-ice screen. They gave him a standing ovation during a media timeout with 5:43 left in the second period.

The video tribute mainly displayed Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, and their friendship off the ice.

After the video, the announcer Ryan Mill thanked Alex Ovechkin for their historic rivalry. “Ovi, thank you for 21 years of the greatest rivalry in hockey. It has been a pleasure.”

He jokingly invited him to continue competing for another season. “And if you want, we're ready to go for 22.”

In that game, Ovechkin clinched an empty-net goal at 16:22 during the 3rd period. The Capitals won the game 6-3, which was a vital one for them.

Alex Ovechkin acknowledged fans' applause

Alex Ovechkin acknowledged the fans' standing ovation by smiling and waving. He appreciated the tribute, saying it showed respect for years of intense rivalries. 

“It was nice,” Ovechkin said. “It was a show of respect to all the time that we spend in the rivalries, playoffs, and regular season. It shows respect.”

Along with fans, both teams' players also honored the legend Alex Ovechkin by banging their sticks. 

Earlier, the Capitals’ captain said he will take some time during the off-season to decide whether he will play next year or not. It was the final year of the contract he had signed with the Capitals.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be my last year or not. So, we will talk if I’m going to say I’m retired. I didn’t say that, so we’ll see”, Ovechkin said. 

This season, the 40-year-old has played 80 games in the regular season, scoring 32 goals and 30 assists. Overall, he is the highest goal-scorer in the league, with 929 goals in 1571 games. 

He surpassed Gretzky’s record of 894 goals last year, on April 06. His team is still fighting for a spot in the playoffs. The Capitals are currently sitting at No. 4 in the Eastern Wild Card Division with 91 points. 

Read more at NHL Fan Central!

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Godwin Issac Mathew