When Sidney Crosby's nasty fight with former 6-foot-2 Blue Jackets star sparked a long-standing beef

Sidney Crosby and Brandon Dubinsky got into a rare fight on Feb. 19, 2015, with the game tied 1-1 between Pittsburgh and Columbus. With 5:58 left in the second period, the fight happened near the Blue Jackets' net. Crosby was clearing the puck when Dubinsky came at him for a hit.

Crosby avoided the check and grabbed Dubinsky with his left hand. Dubinsky hit the boards instead, and his helmet came loose. Both players stood up quickly and started fighting. Crosby tried to bring Dubinsky down but kept his balance, before Crosby landed a punch and both fell to the ice. The referees then stepped in to stop the fight.

The rivalry continued later that year in November. Dubinsky cross-checked Crosby in the neck during a game, and Crosby fell to the ice after getting another shove from Dubinsky. He left the ice for evaluation but returned in the third period. Dubinsky received a two-minute penalty and a hearing with NHL Player Safety.

Dubinsky said he didn’t try to hurt Crosby on purpose, and that his stick went up because Crosby was bent over.

"I don't try to do anything dirty,'' Dubinsky said, via ESPN. "That's not really the type of player I am. I'm going to play hard but try and play fair and in between the whistle.''

Crosby added that he didn’t see the hit but knew how it felt.

"There is always concern when that happens," Dubinsky said. "Yeah, I'm good. Honestly, I didn't even see it, so I don't know how it looked. I just know how it felt.''

Crosby led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup in 2015-16, and also won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. It was his second Stanley Cup after winning in 2009. He got his third title in 2017.

Brandon Dubinsky picked Alex Ovechkin over Sidney Crosby

After his retirement in 2021, Brandon Dubinsky made strong comments about Sidney Crosby on a podcast, saying he preferred Alex Ovechkin over him. He played against Crosby and Ovechkin in his career, and added that he would never ask Crosby for a signed stick.

"F**k Sid," Dubinsky said, via "Garbage Beers." "I’ll take Ovi every day of the week. I got an Ovi stick. I asked Ovi for an autographed stick... I would never ask Sid for a stick. Ever."

Dubinsky explained that Crosby is a great player, but he complains too much. He also praised Ovechkin for playing hard and staying quiet.