Pre-Game Analysis: On Ovechkin's struggles; Pens vs Caps 1-2-2 Trap & more tidbits

Time: 7:08 p.m. | Where: Verizon Center

WAS Home Record: 8-3-1 | PIT Road Record: 6-6-2

Last 10: WAS 3-6-1 | PIT 5-4-1

Goaltending Matchup:Marc Andre Fleury (13-4-2, 2.17 GAA .922 SV%) vs Tomas Vokoun (10-6-0, 2.77 GAA .906 SV%)

Key Stat:Alexander Ovechkin has 1 goal in 12 home games

Will Crosby - Ovechkin rivalry rejuvenate? : There is no longer a debate as to who the best player in the NHL is. In fact there shouldn't even be a debate whether Alexander Ovechkin is better than Evgeni Malkin.

Ovechkin's drop off in the past year can't be attributed to former head coach Bruce Boudreau. Ovechkin was once the games best player under Boudreau a few years ago and the NHL's most unique and dynamic player.

Some scouts are finally coming around to the fact that Ovechkin himself is the problem. This is a league where players get stronger and faster every year.

While Sidney Crosby has continued to get better every year, Ovechkin has not and appears to be a player who can't rely on talent alone if he's wants to regain his status as one of the best players in the world. In the past 10-12 months, you can make a strong argument that Ovechkin hasn't even been among the top 10 players in the league. That's a huge drop off.

Tonight Ovechkin goes head to head against Sidney Crosby for the first time since January 1, 2011. We'll find out if the presence of Crosby brings out the best in Ovechkin.

Capitals new System: There's no denying that the Penguins struggled against Bruce Boudreau's system in the past. Washington is 11-0-2 in their last 13 regular season games against Pittsburgh. In the regular season, the Capitals have been excellent against the Penguins in 3+ seasons and even in the second round of the 2009 playoff series, that series could have easily went either way.

Tonight under new head coach Dale Hunter, the Penguins will see a new system from the Capitals. This is a system that has a strong emphasis on sitting back and forcing the opposition to make a mistake in the neutral zone.

The system is all about capitalizing on turnovers.