Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight’s match du hockey à Montreal from Vogs, NHL.com, AP, RtR and be sure to check out our francophone friends over at Eyes on the Prize for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- Looking for a place to watch the game with good folks and libations a-plenty? The Puck Buddys have got you covered! [Puck Buddys]
- News and notes from Friday’s practice out at Bell Centre:
- In general. [Monumental video (Rinkside Update, Oates, Ovi)]
- After leaving Thursday’s game early with a bruised arm (hey, thanks, Green), Nicklas Backstrom practiced with the team and should be good to go tonight. Best news or BEST news? [WaPo, CSNW]
- Mathieu Perreault: A little bundle of joy. Now, at least. [CSNW]
- So about that loss the other night… it’s out of your system now, yes? Good. Moving on. [WaPo (and again), Caps Across the Pond]
- We mustn’t dwell, Braden Holtby. No, not today. We CAN’T. Not on Caps-Habs game day! [WaPo]
- Teemu Selanne, Cam Neely, Igor Larionov, Alex Ovechkin. Yup, that’ll work. [NHL.com]
- Speaking of Ovechkin, (and we always are and we love it) he’s making a run for both the Hart and Richard trophies this year… [Mtl Gazette, CSNW, Chicago Tribune]
- …but it’s totally unsustainable because reasons and numbers and loud noises. [Driving Play]
- None of that matters when you have a wicked glove hand, though. That we never want you using again, Alex. [Puck Daddy]
- A year from now we could very well see Evgeny Kuznetsov in a Caps’ jersey… if he wants to be in one. [RMNB]
- The boss weighs in on the Caps’ recent hot streak as his other team packs it in for the summer. [Bog]
- As strange as it may have seemed even a month ago, the playoff race between the Caps and Jets is heating up. [ESPN, Puck Daddy, Winnipeg Sun]
- Of course, even being in the playoff race at all is due in large part to the man behind the bench, who has the Caps right on schedule. [Globe and Mail]
- Meanwhile down on the farm:
- A late goal by trade deadline gift-with-purchase Michael Latta gave the Hershey Bears an important 2-1 victory and put their playoff fate in their own hands. [PennLive, LDNews, SHOE]
- While in Harrisburg, the Senators (Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals) wore Hershey Bears-themed jerseys to celebrate Hockey Night at the ballpark. Synergy! [PennLive]
- Ovechkin’s former club (and Gagarin Cup champs) Dynamo Moscow celebrated its 90th anniversary yesterday. And many more! …just not with Ovi. [Alex Ovetjkin]
- Finally, happy 63rd birthday to Mike Lampman.