Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight’s soiree with the Maple Steckels from Vogs, NHL.com, Peerless, KOL, Sick Unbelievable, CB and RMNB, and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner and Jason Chimera cheering section Pension Plan Puppets for more coverage from the other side of tonight’s match-up.
- Notes and assorted whatnot from Kettler and yesterday’s very optional skate:
- Alex Ovechkin will not be suspended or fined for tickling Chris Neil‘s fancy. [WaPo, WashTimes]
- … though some folks aren’t happy about it. [Canoe.ca]
- Injury update: Well, there wasn’t much of one … [DCEx]
- … but it was good to see both Mike Green and Jay Beagle out on the ice. [WashTimes]
- From the visitors’ dressing room, it looks like Colby Armstrong may be making his return from injury. [FAN590]
- Leafs Game Day usually means the Toronto press corps in full effect. This game’s theme appears to be grudging respect for a team in transition:
- Alex Ovechkin – Slumping but still dangerous. [National Post]
- Well, possibly still dangerous. [Toronto Star]
- Dale Hunter brings some of that truculence Brian Burke is always going on about. [Toronto Sun]
- Did we say transition? The Caps haz it. [Globe and Mail]
- Five questions for the Leafs as they prepare for this game. [Toronto Star]
- But don’t be surprised if the Canadian media is a bit distracted today – it appears that the Leafs may have new ownership soon. [Puck Daddy, PHT, PPP]
- Does one goal really represent “learning new ways to score?” Guess we’ll find out, one way or another. [CSNW, NYT, ESPN, NHL.com]
- Related: Ovechkin scores, gets chummy with the Russian-language media again. Interesting note – Team Russia had a scout at ScotiaBank Place. [Alex Ovetjkin]
- Y’know, those new lines on Wednesday looked pretty good. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- Shorter shifts and a bit more snarl have improved the penalty kill. [WashTimes]
- Guess who’s bringing teh scoring chances? Cody Eakin, that’s who. [WaPo]
- New assistant coach Jim Johnson talks about Jeff Schultz and that Ottawa game. [WashTimes]
- Mike Knuble notes a bit more urgency in the air. [CSNW]
- Coaching the Capitals is more than just a job for Dale Hunter. [Caps Overtime]
- Howe do you score a Gordie? It’s easy. You drop a guy, and then play on a line with Jeff Halpern and Marcus Johansson. [WashTimes]
- Moving in the right direction at last. [Homer McFanboy, OFB, Examiner]
- Winter Classic cards… pretty. [Capitals Outsider]
- The Hershey Bears are prepping for another 3-in-3 weekend, and their goalie rotation may not be quite so rotational going forward. [Patriot-News, and again]
- Zowie. Get to Verizon Center early tonight and get yourself a sweet game-worn jersey from Dale Hunter’s first NHL win. Don’t forget your checkbook. [Caps.com]
