Your savory breakfast links:

• Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday's (very optional) practice:
  • In general. [DCEx (McNally), 106.7 The Fan (Kerstein), bridgetds (pics)]
  • Michal Neuvirth is cool as an unpickled pickle. [CW (Whyno), NHL.com (Masisak), WaPo (Carrera)]
  • You'd think that Bruce Boudreau wouldn't need to say something publicly three games into the series for officials to realize that the Rangers have been head-hunting the Caps' two-time Norris Trophy finalist (who has just returned from a two-month absence due to a concussion caused by this very same Ranger team). You'd be wrong. [CI (Carrera), CW (Whyno), CSN Washington (video), DCEx (McNally), Frankovic, Capitals News Network]
  • The extra time off between games should help the Caps. [CI (Schimmel)]
• And from the Rangers' side of the aisle:
  • The Norwegian Hobbit Wizard has been sent down to AHL Connecticut - it's Sean Avery or bust (or, better yet, both), it would seem. [Ranger Rants]
  • Marc Staal and (the vastly underrated) Dan Girardi are smothering Alex Ovechkin. Apparently. [NY Daily News]
  • The extra time off between games should help the Rangers. [NHL.com (Lozo)]
• So Gabby (Boudreau, not Gaborik) also made headlines yesterday by answering a leading question with an answer that everyone on the planet knows to be true: Madison Square Garden is a dump. [D.C. Sports Bog, Blueshirts Blog (with a targeted response at Sick, Unbelievable)]
• As we detailed yesterday, this series has been tight so far, leaving little room for error. [Dump 'n Chase]
• The Caps are still a confident lot (as well they should be, given that they played poorly in a questionably officiated game and were tied with a chance to go up 3-0 in the series with two minutes left in Game 3). [NHL.com (Masisak), CSN Washington (O'Halloran)]
• If there's one thing in which the Caps have faith, it's their goalie, whomever it might be. [WashTimes (Whyno)]
• It's always funny when an online outlet puts the wrong picture with an article. Take, for example, the latest On Hockey file from The Post, which mistakenly shows a picture of Boyd Gordon and two Rangers, when a picture of Chicken Little was clearly intended. [WaPo (El-Bashir), with more gratuitous reminders of past spectacular failures at 106.7 The Fan (Elfin), Sporting News (Olson) and DCEx (Loverro)]
• This time of year, there's a delicate balance to be struck between sticking up for yourself and your teammates and/or agitating and still playing smart, disciplined hockey. [CW (Whyno), CI (Carrera), ESPN (Hume)]
• Erik Christensen's goal: good shot or bad goal? How 'bout both? [RtR]
• History will be meh. [RMNB]
• Other Game 3 thoughts. [BSB (scoring chances), CI (El-Bashir, Schimmel), PTM, RtR, RtR, Riggo44 (because why not?), Rangers Blog]
• What's wrong with Nicklas Backstrom? [Homer McFanboy]
• The Caps "aren’t playing defensively so much as they’re playing in an intellectually lazy manner." Alrighty then. [PuckUpdate]
• It's never too early to be talking Conn Smythe candidates. No, wait. It is. [Sportsnet (Brophy)]
• Lots o' TV ratings chatter, for those of you who are into that sort of thing. [D.C. Sports Bog, PTM, Puck Daddy]
• If laughter is the best medicine, it sounds as if Matt Hendricks is quite the doctor. [OFB]
• A review of the Giant Center experience. [Stadium Journey]
• Finally, today in Caps/Rangers history:
  • 1986 Patrick Division Finals: Craig Laughlin scores the eventual game-winner in an 8-1 rout to even the series at one game apiece.
  • 1990 Patrick Division Finals: Bernie Nicholls' hat trick paces a 7-3 Rangers win in Game 1.