But the Washington Capitals captain failed to deliver in Game 4. Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet in Crosby's absence, later taking responsibility for his poor performance.
"I didn't play my game at all tonight. Me personally, I have to play much better," Ovechkin told ESPN's Craig Custance. "I didn't control the puck well. I make stupid decisions. Unfortunately it happened."
Ovechkin finished the night with just two shots on goal. He was twice whistled for minor penalties.
After finishing the regular season with an NHL-best record of 118 points, the Capitals now trail 3-1 in their second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Capitals must win Game 5 on Saturday to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.
A replay later showed that Bonino's face was not struck on the play and that Oshie's stick in fact made contact with Bonino's shoulder. Oshie was whistled with 1:52 remaining.
At the time of the call, Washington was down 3-2, with netminder Braden Holtby soon headed to the bench for the extra attacker. Instead, the Capitals' would-be 6-on-5 advantage turned into a power play for the Penguins in the game's final minutes.
Pittsburgh did not capitalize with the man advantage, but held on for a 3-2 victory to push their series lead to 3-1.
The Capitals will fight for their playoff lives Saturday in Washington.
The gaffe gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead, and the Capitals quickly tied it up with two goals in just over a minute, but Justin Schultz's power play goal restored the lead to 3-2.
Fleury originally had the names of several former teammates painted on his headgear, later adding "Nisky" and "Neal" for former Penguins forward James Neal.
Here's what the mask looked like beforehand:
And here's how it looks now:
If there's any consolation for Niskanen, at least Fleury didn't paint over it.
"It's really sad because that guy has been through wars and people don't know how much of a warrior he really is," MacKinnon told CBC News. "That's very unfortunate and it makes me upset. I don't like hearing that stuff. I'm really feeling for him."
Crosby is sidelined with a concussion after taking a hard cross-check from Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen. It marks the fourth head injury of Crosby's 12-year career.
The Penguins captain suffered his first concussion during the 2010-11 season and was limited to 41 games. Crosby played just 22 games the following year after he was diagnosed with another head injury.
Crosby has appeared in eight games this postseason, recording 11 points. He trails only teammates Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel in playoff scoring.
Just how good has Pekka Rinne been this postseason?
The Nashville Predators netminder has put up numbers that put him ahead of the best in the NHL's 100-year history.
Allowing just 11 goals on 232 shots, no goaltender has ever posted a higher save rate through eight games. Rogie Vachon of the Montreal Canadiens owned an equal save percentage during the 1969 playoffs:
Goalie
Team
Playoffs
GP
Record
GAA
SV%
Pekka Rinne
Predators
2017
8
7-1
1.33
.953
Rogie Vachon
Canadiens
1969
8
7-1
1.42
.953
Jacques Plante
Canadiens
1960
8
8-0
1.35
.950
Jacques Plante
Canadiens
1969
10
8-2
1.43
.950
Johnny Bower
Maple Leafs
1963
10
8-2
1.60
.949
Gerry Cheevers
Bruins
1969
9
6-3
1.68
.947
Jonathan Quick
Kings
2012
20
16-4
1.41
.946
Patrick Lalime
Senators
2002
12
7-5
1.39
.946
J.S. Giguere
Ducks
2003
21
15-6
1.62
.945
Ron Tugnutt
Penguins
2000
11
6-5
1.77
.945
Meanwhile, Rinne's goals-against average, coming in at 1.33, also keeps him in the top 10 all time. The best number in that category is held by Terry Sawchuk, who allowed just five goals in eight games for a 0.63 GAA in the 1952 postseason.
Rinne will dress for his ninth game Friday, while Predators fans hope his performance this spring stays sustainable.
"I heard that and I was surprised because I thought we were supposed to be the team whining," McLellan told reporters prior to Game 4. "That threw me off a little bit.
"As far as Connor goes, I think there are maybe two, three, maybe four players in the league ... Connor, the guy who isn't playing in Pittsburgh tonight, and some others that have to play through that hooking, holding, and mauling and all that type of stuff that goes on."
McDavid has drawn a penalty in each of the three games so far, while the Oilers' power play has gone 3-for-12 in the series.
Edmonton leads the series 2-1 and has a chance to take a stranglehold Wednesday on home ice.
"The white glove part of it," McLellan continued, "I think that's questioning the integrity of the officiating, so I'm going to stay out of that and let (Anaheim) do that."
Eaves, who's doubtful for Game 4 against the Edmonton Oilers with a lower-body injury, has been playing on a line with Ryan Getzlaf, bumping a struggling Corey Perry down the depth chart.
In advance of a game the Ducks need to win in order to tie the series, head coach Randy Carlyle put Perry back on Getzlaf's wing, along with the first power-play unit, hoping the familiarity will spur some much-needed offense.
"I’m comfortable there obviously," Perry said, per Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register. "I was there for a long time. It’s something that if it ends up that way, it’s a good thing for me. I just got to embrace it and roll with it."
Perry has scored one goal in seven playoff games after managing only 19 over 82 regular-season games, well below his normal output. He does have 19 shots and plenty more attempts this postseason, and feels like it's only a matter of time before he gets going.
"I’ve had my chances to score," he said. "The puck hasn’t gone in the net. I’ve had my shots. You look at my shot totals and they’re up there where they normally are. My shooting percentage is way down. That’s all it is."
"It's hard to see a player go down, and it's hard to see he get hurt," Ovechkin said Wednesday, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "He's a player you don't want that stuff to happen (to), so it's sad. I hope he's going to be fine and come back in the series."
The injury was caused by a hit to the head by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen, an event immediately preceded by a hard slash by Ovechkin on the Penguins captain.
"It's hockey, you know?" Ovechkin said of the play. "We move forward, and they are. I'm pretty sure they're going to be strong on the puck, they're going to play physical, and it's going to be interesting game."
Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola is looking for the next head coach of his beleaguered NHL team - but he'll take a break from his search this Saturday, when he'll watch a couple of members from his other sports franchise compete in the Kentucky Derby.
Viola and partners own the aptly-named Always Dreaming, a top contender in the Derby. The 3-year-old colt, who races for Viola's St. Elias Stable, is also owned by Viola's wife Teresa, MelB Stables, Brooklyn Boyz Stable, and West Point Thoroughbreds. Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby last month, a respected prep race for the Derby.
Always Dreaming is the second co-favorite at 5-1 on the Wednesday morning line. He will run from post position 5.
Viola and partners weren't messing around with their intentions for the colt when they purchased Always Dreaming two years ago for $350,000; Always Dreaming was purchased with the Derby in mind. He has not disappointed, winning three of his five races, while finishing no worse than third. The horse is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has entered three other horses in the Derby.
Despite Viola only taking a serious interest in race horses six years ago, his stable has already earned more than $1.7 million, not including its partnerships. The billionaire trader was a candidate for President Trump's Secretary of the Army, but turned down the role due to business conflicts.
Always Dreaming is Viola's first Derby starter.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Earlier this week, Viola added to his stake in this year's Run for the Roses - purchasing stallion interests in another Derby favorite, Irish War Cry. Viola does not own the horse yet, but will own shares when the colt - listed at 6-1 on the morning line - retires to the stud barn.
Should Irish War Cry run well in the Derby and subsequent races, the investment could prove to be a lucrative one. Stud fees can exponentially eclipse what is earned on the racetrack - which could mean big things for both Viola and celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who is also a part of the deal.
There has been a long history of NHL team owners and horse racing. For decades, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk had a formidable stable, as did hockey legend Conn Smythe. Bruce McNall owned horses with his star player Wayne Gretzky, while George Strawbridge, a shareholder in the Buffalo Sabres, breeds and races thoroughbreds all over the world.
Viola is not the only notable sports figure with a horse in the Derby. Olympic champion skier Bode Miller owns part interest in 50-1 longshot Fast and Accurate, who will open from post position 3.
A West Point graduate and native of Brooklyn, Viola is talking tough coming into the big race.
He has said that a win in the Derby will not make up for the Panthers' dismal season, calling it a "simple failure." He was chastised in the media for the way in which he fired head coach Gerrard Gallant and assistant coach Mike Kelly, and he's allegedly courting the likes of former Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien for the vacancy. He also reportedly said he would be disappointed with anything less than a victory in the Derby.
Given the success of his stable to date, it wouldn't be wise to bet against him.
