11 things to know about the Penguins vs. Capitals matchup history

The Penguins will be facing a familiar opponent in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoff.

For the 10th time overall, and for the third straight year, the Pens will play the Washington Capitals. Game 1 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

RELATED: Penguins, Capitals meeting in Round 2 of Stanley Cup Playoff

Here are 11 things to know about the Penguins vs. Capitals matchup history:

1. The Penguins have eliminated the Capitals in each of their runs to win the Stanley Cup: 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017.

2. This year could match the run to the 2009 cup, when the Penguins beat the Flyers in the first round, then put away the Capitals in the second round.

3. This is the third straight year the Pens and Capitals have met in the Eastern Conference semifinals.  Pens have an 8-5 record over the past two years.

4. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin both made their NHL debuts in 2005. Ovenchkin was the NHL’s No. 1 overall pick in 2004. Evgeni Malkin was the second pick overall.  2004 was the lockout year. Crosby was the No. 1 overall pick in 2005.

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5. Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin have won the major NHL awards several times since coming into the league. Ovechkin has 3 Hart Memorial Trophies, for the league MVP. Crosby has two, and Malkin has one.  Crosby and Malkin have each won the Art Ross Trophy twice. That award goes to the season points leader. Ovechkin has won it once.

6. Crosby and Ovechkin “fought” in a game in February 2009.  It was more like a tussle, but Crosby didn’t like something Ovechkin did, and hit him after the whistle.  Ovechkin fought back and knocked off Crosby’s helmet.  The referees stepped in very quickly.

7. Crosby also once fought Matt Niskanen, who is a defenseman for the Capitals and a former Penguin. The two dropped gloves when Niskanen played for the Dallas Stars in 2010.  Niskanen was a member of the Penguins from 2011 to 2014.

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8. The Penguins and Capitals faced off in the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field.  A hit on Crosby from the Capitals' David Steckel was the first of two hits that led to Crosby’s concussion and neck issues that sidelined him for months.

9. Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik used to be one of the good guys.  He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009, and was in the Penguins organization from 2001 to 2014.

10. The Penguins and Capitals played a quadruple overtime game in the 1996 Eastern Conference quarterfinals.  Game 4 didn’t end until 2:22 a.m., when the Penguins' Petr Nedved scored on a power play to tie the series at two games each.

11. The Penguins are BEST, and we can’t wait to cheer them on to another playoff win over the Capitals on the way to a Stanley Cup three-peat.

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