Ovechkin hat trick caps it

Alex Ovechkin’s first playoff hat trick was cause for celebration, worthy of so many red caps that Sidney Crosby wanted fans to be told to stop throwing them.

Minutes later, Crosby notched his first postseason hat trick, a consolation prize in a loss. Less than half a dozen caps made it to the ice.

It was a historic night for the NHL. Its two biggest stars -- rivals who don’t care for each other -- had their biggest playoff performances head-to-head. Ovechkin claimed the winning hand, breaking a 2-2 tie with a pair of goals less than three minutes apart in the third period Monday night in the Washington Capitals’ 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Sick game. Sick three goals by me and Crosby,” said Ovechkin, who celebrated by bouncing his body high off the glass after both of his third-period goals. “It’s unbelievable to see how fans react, how fans go crazy. The atmosphere right now, it’s unbelievable in town. You see all the red, and -- probably I’m afraid to go home right now.”

The Eastern Conference semifinal series moves to Pittsburgh for Wednesday’s Game 3 with the Capitals leading, 2-0. From 1991 to 2001, Washington lost five series in which it had led against Pittsburgh, including 2-0 leads in 1992 and ’96.

But that’s ancient history for Ovechkin and Crosby, who also realized what a special game they had just played.

“It’s nice to score,” Crosby said. “But it’s better to win. . . . I’m sure it’s entertaining for people to watch, if I were to look at it from a fan’s point of view. As a player, you don’t like when the guy on the other team gets a hat trick. That’s usually not a good sign.”