Sidney Crosby makes feelings crystal clear about rival Alex Ovechkin’s chase after record-tying goal

Sidney Crosby shared his thoughts on longtime rival Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time NHL goals record following the Penguins' 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

Ovechkin scored his 893rd and 894th career goals on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, tying Gretzky for the top spot on the NHL's all-time list. After putting up a four-point game (hat-trick and an assist) against the Stars, Crosby said:

"It was pretty exciting. Just that last couple of minutes, when he kept pushing, trying to get that next one. I think for anyone who is a fan of the game and appreciates what he's doing, it's pretty cool to see," Crosby said about watching Ovechkin's pursuit of history. (per NHL.com)

Crosby and Ovechkin have been the faces of the NHL for over a decade, often portrayed as fierce rivals. The two stars have battled in four playoff series and 70 regular season matchups.

"I thought he was going to get it before the end of that (game)," Crosby said. "It was just a matter of time the last couple of years. Especially — what he's done this year is pretty incredible. At this point, it's just a matter of time."

Ovechkin reached 894 goals in 1,846 career games, tying Gretzky's mark in one fewer game. At age 37, his 41 goals this season marked the 14th time he topped 40 in his 20 seasons in the league.

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Sidney Crosby on scoring his 14th NHL hat-trick

Sidney Crosby scored his 14th career NHL hat-trick and recorded his 43rd total four-point game of his career. He also extended his current point streak to 12 games. During this streak, Crosby has accumulated 18 points (10 goals, eight assists).

“(Hat tricks) are fun. They don’t come along often, so they’re definitely fun to get. It’s a long season. There are some nights where you feel better than others and different parts of the schedule, different matchups." Sidney Crosby said.

"Really tried to take it one at a time and I’m competing and trying to do my best every night.”

The Penguins are 31-34-12 on the season and seven points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with five games left.