Crosby-Ovechkin feud inspires "Heated Rivalry"

What they're saying: "I never directly base my characters on any real people," she wrote on her website.

• "One of my inspirations for Heated Rivalry was, obviously, the extremely entertaining rivalry between Crosby and Ovechkin. But I was also inspired by other sports rivalries, by other fictional stories, and by my love of the enemies-to-lovers and forbidden romance tropes."

Context: Crosby and Ovechkin have spent two decades at the center of one of hockey's most enduring feuds, built on high-level play and mutual respect. The competition helped both players achieve career highs.

• Early on, the two brought tension to the ice. A heated 2009 scuffle and years of trash talk helped make each Penguins-Capitals matchup a gripping watch.

The big picture: "Heated Rivalry" has taken over social media feeds and earned a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Fun fact: The show's characters, Shane and Ilya, are currently generating more U.S. Google searches more than nearly every NHL player — including all-time greats, per an Outsports review of Google Trends.

• Only Crosby was searched more.

The bottom line: "Heated Rivalry" is now streaming on HBO Max.