Pittsburgh Penguins Star Player Gets Ran Over by an Ovechkin Hit

The rivalry between the Capitals and the Penguins came to life once more on Friday night, and it was a first for veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson.

While he boasts years of NHL experience, this was his introduction to the intensity of the Caps/Pens rivalry.

During the game's second period, with the Penguins already holding a 2-0 lead, Capitals' captain Alex Ovechkin aimed to fire up his team. He did so by delivering a massive hit to Karlsson at center ice. Ovechkin caught Karlsson off guard, knocking him out of the play and nearly tumbling himself over.

Karlsson showed resilience, bouncing back from the hit. However, Ovechkin's effort failed to spark his team, and the Penguins dominated the rivalry matchup with a commanding 4-0 victory.