Crosby Vs. Ovechkin in 2011 Winter Classic

The NHL Winter Classic is something of a tradition in hockey. As the league's premier outdoor match-up, the Classic is an event in which literally every team would love to either host or participate in. Although an official announcement will not be made until July, it looks as if the NHL and NBC are in agreement that the top candidates would be the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As a Caps fan, I am praying that my team finally gets a chance to play on New Year's Day; however, many hockey fans have been curious as to why the NHL would select the Pittsburgh Penguins to host the 2011 Winter Classic. The Pens participated in the 2008 Winter Classic hosted by the Buffalo Sabres, so why allow the team another opportunity so soon? The answers: Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

The biggest, most extreme rivalry in the NHL will play out on January 1, 2011 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and because the home of the Steelers holds 65,050 fans, there will be plenty of room for hockey fans to witness such a memorable event.

While Ovechkin is the back-to-back and reigning recipient of the Hart Trophy, Crosby has the Cup. When these two teams meet up to duke it out, the audience is never at a loss for excitement. Between the hits, the aggression, and not to mention the smack talk, every Caps-Pens game is played like a playoff game. After all, Pittsburgh did rob Washington of all potential to compete in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final.

Obviously, Ovechkin and Crosby are the most publicized athletes in the league and their rivalry is a huge attention-getter. Everyone knows that-especially NBC. It seems as though ratings have sunk in the past few years, so in order to make this year's winter classic a success, NBC had to choose a more intense matchup. So, really, how much consideration had to be put into this decision?

Source: Leahy, Sean. Yahoo Sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Report-Sid-vs-Ovie-at-Heinz-Field-Winter-Class?urn=nhl,230618.