After four years of a highly celebrated rivalry between Alexander Ovechkin and Sydney Crosby, these two stars will meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in the Eastern Conference semi finals. Regarded as God like figures in the hockey world, Ovechkin and Crosby truly live up to the hype placed on their abilities.

When most people are asked who their favorite NHL player is, no matter how foreign to the sport they are, they will typically say one of two names: Ovechkin or Crosby. Often mentioned in the same breath as each other, Ovechkin and Crosby are our generations Gretzky vs. Lemiuex. They are equivalent to basketball’s Lebron and Kobe, and tennis’ Federer and Nadal.

In the sports world they are household names, and because of their efforts on and of the ice, thousands of kids every year pick up a hockey stick. They, no matter how young and humble, realize that the awareness and the growth of hockey in the United States rest jointly on their shoulders.

Ovechkin was the first overall draft pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft while Crosby was the first overall draft pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. After the conclusion of a lengthy NHL labor lockout during the 2004-2005 season, Crosby and Ovechkin began their rookie season together. In being the number one overall pick, it is expected to make some impact on your team in your rookie season. But no one could have predicted to see the statistical numbers Crosby and Ovechkin put up. Midway though their rookie seasons, the two were regarded as the next "great one"; in reference to the "Great One" Wayne Gretzky. They were immediate impact players on their teams and they showed signs of their soon-to-be dominate skills in the NHL.

There is a genuine rivalry between Ovechkin and Crosby. Partially because Crosby plays in Pittsburg and Ovechkin plays in Washington and there is a history of bad blood between the two teams, but also because the rivalry was born in the players; the natural competition to be the best comes out when they play each other.

Alexander Ovechkin, A.KA. "Ovie" A.K.A. "Alexander the Great", is considered a human highlight reel for his acrobatic goals and breathtaking hits. He has an explosive stride that allows him to change directions faster than any player in the world, and he displays remarkable upper body strength. His 220 pound frame allows him to be not only a scoring machine, but also a monster when it comes to the battles on the boards. Ovechkin captivates his audience with his every move and has put a worthless franchise on his back, and turned it into one of the prominent teams in the NHL.

Sidney Crosby, A.K.A. "Sid the Kid", and to those who don’t particularly like him, "Cry Baby Kid", has a completely different style of play then Ovechkin. Crosby is more of a finesse player, rather then a player who will fight along the boards. He uses his speed and quickness to sneak behind defensemen. Crosby is arguably the best play maker in the NHL. He was a league leader in assists this year with 70, and he has the ability to make players around him better.

Ovechkin and Crosby have a history of on ice encounters. When the Caps play the Pens it is almost guarantee they will get into some kind of altercation. In many cases with Crosby, he likes to talk a lot of trash to Ovechkin. Ovechkin, primarily due to his lack of English skills, handles Crosby’s antics in his own way; often by giving him a two arm jab to the chest or a big hit along the boards. It’s easiest to say that these superstars don’t like each other, although they respect each others talent.

"What I can say about him?" Ovechkin said. "He is a good player, but he talks too much."

"Yes, it’s a rivalry … but I don’t know how you want to describe it," Crosby remarked. "What’s a rivalry? It’s intense. We compete and we’re competitive, and usually when we play each other we both try to raise our games."

The Eastern Conference semis will lack no excitement this year with Washington’s "Alexander the Great" and Pittsburgh’s "Sid the Kid". Fans can expect to see the best NHL players in the world battle it out to come one step closer to the Stanley Cup. The rivalry and determination in these two players will only intensify as the series goes on.