As we mentioned a while back, the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins are being featured on this year's edition of HBO's "24/7" series. The show will chronicle both teams' preparation to the January 1 Winter Classic, giving viewers an inside look at how two hockey teams that clearly hate each other prepare for the NHL's biggest regular-season game.
On Saturday night, HBO released a 12-minute preview of the series. It's been linked all over the place, so we'll just show you the video itself.
Some quick highlights below the jump:
1. Tell me if this line makes much sense: "Separated by 200 miles, Pittsburgh and Washington are neighbors that share a passion for the game, but make no mistake. There's nothing political about the way these two teams feel about each other." Sure, whatever you say HBO. It sounds good at least.
2. Naturally, Max Talbot is stirring things up again. Over the summer, he called Alex Ovechkin a "douche." Now, here's what he said about the rivalry.
"I just can't stand them." ... "The more guys you can piss off on that team, the better."
I would love to see someone check him hard into the boards. Maybe the Caps can activate D.J. King to do that.
3. The narrator called Alex Ovechkin "arguably the best player in the solar system." I would have settled for "best player in the world," but I guess "solar system" drives the point home.
4. Sidney Crosby, annoyingly downplaying the comparison between him and Ovechkin.
"Do I want to win a little bit more. Maybe. But hockey's hockey."
BO-RING.
5. The montage where Bruce Boudreau and others are talking about how tough hockey players are was pretty awesome. Especially loved the anecdote about Eric Belanger pulling his teeth out and the part where Mike Knuble admit he has "about 150, 200 stitches in my face." You wear it well, Mike.
6. The very little bit of strategy we heard was Boudreau saying this: "Wingers, get out there. You're not going for the block. You're running right through them."
7. Ovechkin gives us a little taste when he say the show will give viewers a better idea of what he and his teammates are like off the ice. Do tell more, Ovie. Please.
The show will first air on Wednesday, December 15 at 10 p.m., and will be on at the same time for the next four weeks leading up to and after the Winter Classic.