After all, the Penguins are the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. The Capitals expected to run into them again eventually.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- For Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, facing the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Second Round for a third consecutive season felt inevitable.

And although they lost to the Penguins the past two seasons, the Capitals are embracing this series, which begins with Game 1 at Washington on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS), as an opportunity.

"It's just fun," Ovechkin said Wednesday. "That's why we work so hard all year, to be in this position. Obviously, you want to move first round, second round, third and fourth, but it's hard. It's a big challenge for us, especially against Pittsburgh. It's always lots of attention to this series, and it's fun."

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Much of that attention usually centers on Ovechkin and Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who entered the NHL together in 2005-06. This will be the fourth time in the past 10 seasons they'll face each other in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Penguins won each of the first three series (2009, 2016, 2017) and went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Capitals have not advanced past the second round since 1998 and are 1-9 in playoff series against the Penguins, with the win coming in the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

The Capitals figure if they're finally going to break through and reach an Eastern Conference Final, why not do it by knocking off their biggest nemesis?

"One day, it has to happen," Ovechkin said. "If we want to get success, we have to beat Pittsburgh and move forward. They're the most experienced team right now in the League. Lots of great players over there, and it's a huge challenge."

Video: Penguins and Capitals will meet again in Second Round

Although the Capitals (49-26-7) finished first in the Metropolitan Division for a third consecutive season, five points ahead of the Penguins (47-29-7), they are the clear underdogs. Washington had more depth and skill when they won the Presidents' Trophy each of the past two seasons, but maybe this team has something those teams didn't in terms of character.

The Capitals demonstrated their mettle in the first round by rallying from down 2-0 to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games. But Columbus is a young, inexperienced team that has never won a playoff series in its 17-season history.

Even with Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin out for Game 1 with injuries, Pittsburgh is far more formidable with its championship pedigree and a lineup that includes Crosby, Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel, Kris Letang and Matt Murray. They've won nine consecutive playoff series, including their first-round win against the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.

"Well, nobody's been able to beat them," Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen said. "They have a lot of experience, they're talented. It's quite the challenge. I think we're excited for that challenge. Somebody's going to beat them eventually, so let's get excited about our opportunity that maybe we're the team to do it."

Following a 6-3 series-clinching victory in Game 6 at Columbus on Monday, Capitals coach Barry Trotz wasn't ready to start talking about the Penguins, referring to them only as "the opponent" when asked his initial thoughts on this series. After using the day off Tuesday to game plan and a practice Wednesday, Trotz talked about facing Pittsburgh as an opportunity.

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"There's not a person in this locker room, our coaching staff, that doesn't want to play the Penguins," Trotz said. "That's probably fitting. We're actually quite excited about it. They're two good teams and they always have been, and it's another match. So, it's all good."

Each of the past three series between the teams were close. The Penguins won in seven games in 2009 with three of the games going to overtime.

Pittsburgh won in six games in 2016 with five of the six being decided by one goal and three requiring overtime. Last season, the Capitals battled back from trailing 3-1 to force a Game 7 at Washington, which Pittsburgh won 2-0.

After four games this regular season (each won twice), they are well acquainted.

"Obviously, we know about them pretty much everything," Ovechkin said. "We know how they play. We know their system. We just have to stick to the plan, and play our game."