"The game within the game": P.K. Subban reminisces his heated expletive-filled altercation with Sidney Crosby during 2017 playoffs

Former NHLer P.K. Subban recently reminisced about a heated exchange with Sidney Crosby during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators in 2017.

A brief clip of the altercation, filled with expletives, circulated on social media, capturing the moment when Subban and Crosby engaged in a fiery confrontation.

P.K. Subban first said:

"Hey. f**k you."

In response, Crosby said:

"Get the f*uck out of here."

Subban again said:

"Hey. f**k you."

Sidney Crosby then delivered the final response before both players were separated:

"Hey, get the f**k out of here, you f**king idiot."

Remembering the incident, Subban took to Instagram on Wednesday and wrote:

"The game within the game."

(Image Credit: P.K. Subban/Instagram)

Following the heated expletive-filled altercation, Subban claimed Sidney Crosby commented about his bad breath. He said:

“Usually when guys chirp after the game or during the game, it’s usually about your game or something personal. He went on to tell me that my breath smelled bad, and I really don’t understand why, because I use Listerine before the game. I thought my breath smelled great. But at the end of the day, we’re just going to take the win and move on."

Meanwhile, the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators concluded with the Pens defeating the Preds in six games.

The victory marked back-to-back wins for the Penguins and back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies for Sidney Crosby as the playoff MVP. Crosby amassed 27 points through eight goals and 19 assists in 24 games during that run.

Sidney Crosby commented on his incident with P.K. Subban

Sidney Crosby reflected on his incident with Subban, acknowledging that his reaction was influenced by the situation where Subban had said something to his teammate, Jake Guentzel.

"Yeah, I was a little irritated by it," Crosby said on Barstool Sports' "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast in 2019. "(Subban) had said something to (Jake Guentzel while) leaving the ice, and I just went to kind of get in the middle and try to break them up. He kind of kept saying stuff, and him and I went at it."

Subban was drafted 43rd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL draft. He had a long 13-year career and also played for the likes of the Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils. He won the Norris Trophy in 2013 as the best defenseman in the league.