DETROIT: The Stanley Cup playoffs begin this week with the NHL's two brightest talents, Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins set to shine.

Ovechkin, the top overall pick in the 2004 draft, finally gets the opportunity on hockey's biggest stage while Crosby, the number one selection in 2005, gets a second playoff shot.

The pair's presence is a dream come true for the NHL, which has built its marketing around the dynamic Russian and the charismatic Canadian.

Reigning MVP Crosby has a chance for revenge when the playoffs start on Wednesday with the Penguins facing a rematch against last year's first-round conquerors the Ottawa Senators

Ovechkin will lead the Capitals back into the playoffs for the first time since 2003 when they begin against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday.

Sitting at the bottom of the NHL standings in November, the Capitals sacked Glen Hanlon and handed the job to Bruce Boudreau, a former minor league coach who uses inspirational Hollywood movies to motivate his men.

No player was more inspired than Ovechkin, who underlined his credentials as one of the league's most gifted scoring talents, finishing with a league best 65 goals and totaling 112 points to replace Crosby as the NHL's top points scorer.

Changing guard

Ovechkin is also likely to relieve Crosby of his Hart trophy as league MVP, the 22-year-old Russian's tenacious play down the stretch the prime reason the Capitals earned a playoff spot.

Crosby's impact has been limited with the Canadian missing a large chunk of the season with an ankle sprain.

In his absence, Russian Evgeni Malkin stepped forward to take over the scoring load and lift the Penguins into second place in the Eastern standings.

Elsewhere in the Eastern conference, top seed Montreal Canadiens challenge Original Six rivals the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers play the New Jersey Devils.

While the East is packed with big names, Western Conference contenders Detroit Red Wings and holders the Anaheim Ducks will count on the experience, which is key when four best-of-seven series may lie ahead.

No team will bring more know-how to the postseason than the Red Wings, who clinched a 17th consecutive playoff place to extend the longest current streak in North American professional sport.

Bidding to become the first back-to-back champions since the Red Wings in 1997 and 1998, the Ducks had their title defense boosted by the mid-season return of Finnish sniper Teemu Selanne and all-star defenseman Scott Niedermayer.

Detroit opens the post-season against the Nashville Predators while the Ducks face-off against the Dallas Stars.

The form team, however, could be the San Jose Sharks who meet the Calgary Flames after grabbing the second Western Conference seed with an impressive second-half surge.

The Minnesota Wild take on the Colorado Avalanche in the remaining match.

Agencies

(China Daily 04/09/2008 page23)