Ovechkin: Crosby's a player you don't want to see get hurt

Thought to be foes, a measure of respect exists between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

In advance of Game 4 between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, the Russian winger addressed the concussion suffered by Crosby in the previous contest, wishing him a speedy return.

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"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."

Ovechkin added he expects coutryman Evgeni Malkin to step up in Crosby's absence, as he's done in the past.

Game 4 is set for Wednesday in Pittsburgh.