[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Partagaspete

He is one of my favorite players right now.

Hey! What is the deal with Ovechkin going after Malkin all the time? It is very Obvious it is personal. Any info would be appreciated.

T

Found this:

Jan. 14 can’t come fast enough. I can’t wait for another dose of Malkin vs. Ovechkin, a once-friendly rivalry that may have turned irreversibly bitter at Mellon Arena this past Thursday.

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s reigning MVP and scoring champion, spent the entirety of Washington’s 4-3 comeback victory over the Penguins trying to injure Evgeni Malkin. There was no mistaking the cheap, mean-spirited nature of Ovechkin’s game.

Malkin was dumbfounded by Ovechkin’s viciousness, saying he didn’t know why Ovechkin targeted him. Malkin’s teammates seemed equally confused, offering little by way of retaliation.

That’s understandable. I can’t remember ever seeing one superstar relentlessly headhunt another superstar before. But one thing is clear from a Penguins’ perspective: It can’t happen again.

If Ovechkin won’t respect Malkin’s status as a superstar, the Penguins can’t respect Ovechkin’s status as a superstar. If that means that Eric Godard does Ovechkin a favor by rearranging his face, so be it.

Malkin shouldn’t retaliate personally. That’s not his job. It might help Malkin’s street cred, but what if Malkin broke a finger? The reward is dwarfed by the risk.

The origin of the animosity between the two Russians remains unclear. Malkin and Ovechkin were roommates at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Malkin called Ovechkin “the best scorer in the NHL” as recently as last season, when the pair finished 1-2 in points.

But Malkin and Ovechkin did not speak at the NHL awards ceremony this past June in Toronto; Ovechkin said the two were “buddies,” not “friends,” whatever that means.

Sources point to two events escalating the Malkin-Ovechkin feud:

- When the Capitals played the Penguins this past Jan. 21, Malkin shrugged off an attempted big hit by Ovechkin, sending Ovechkin careening wildly into the boards. The turnabout — that saw Malkin confront Ovechkin immediately after — seemed to embarrass Ovechkin.

- In August 2007, Ovechkin allegedly assaulted Gennady Ushakov, one of Malkin’s agents, in a Moscow club.

The Malkin-Ovechkin rivalry is interesting and unique. But it’s not good for hockey.

The NHL doesn’t want its superstars playing like thugs, nor victimized by thuggery. The NHL should quietly speak with Ovechkin about toning down his behavior.

Ovechkin has always been an intense competitor, and it’s served him well. But this past Thursday, there was something wild-eyed — almost insane — about the way Ovechkin continually went after Malkin.

Why would the best goal-scorer in the NHL subvert his considerable skills for the sake of serving a violent personal agenda?