Malkin and Varlamov Shine at Winter Classic while Ovie Curses

(courtesy of the AP)

Two of Russia’s youngest stars shined brightest under the rainy lights at Heinz Field last night as the Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 in the Winter Classic. For once it wasn’t about Sidney Crosby vs Alex Ovechkin as both stayed off the score sheet but rather about the guys who get lost in the hype when these two teams meet.

Malkin opened the scoring when he played a bank pass from Kris Letang to go near post on Varlamov for his 14th goal of the year. He would become just the second Russian to score in a Winter Classic and notch his 11th point since returning to the Pens line-up. Fans would wave terrible towels to celebrate their home team’s goal as they do touchdowns for the tenants of Heinz Field, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Russia’s Time to Shine at the Winter Classic

(courtesy of http://ovechkin.tumblr.com/)

There’s beating a dead horse and then there is the Alex Ovechkin vs Sidney Crosby rivalry. The NHL’s two biggest stars, rivals on the ice yadda yadda yadda. The league received much criticism when it awarded this year’s Winter Classic (tonight at 8pm NBC) to Washington and Pittsburgh with the Crosby led Pens appearing in their second Classic in the event’s short four year existence.

While the league is doing what’s best to generate interest and revenue by pitting their poster boys against one another outdoors in front of what’s expected to be 67,000 fans it leaves many who have been fans before this new rivalry feeling slightly cheated.
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Geno and Ovie Take to Winter Classic Ice to Most Epic Music Ever/Semin Speaks Kind of

With the NHL’s marquee event outside(no pun intended) of the Stanley Cup just a day away, NHL.com followed both Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin onto the ice at Heinz Field ahead of the team’s first skate outdoors. Thanks to some fantastic editing both players walked onto the ice set to the same music as they made their way outside. Ovechkin would also speak to Alyonka Larionov about the importance of the game in both Russian and English.
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