Monday Caps Clips: Round 1, Game 3 Game Day

Your savory breakfast links:

• Catch up on all the Clips you might have missed over the weekend right here.
• Previews of Game 3 at Madison Square Garden from Vogs, NHL.com, AP, Peerless, and Frankovic, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals – or for the next four to seven two to five games, our mortal enemies – over at Blueshirt Banter.
• Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday out at Kettler:
  • In general. [Monumental video (Rinkside Update, Oates, Holtby, Erat, Beagle)]
  • An optional practice gave the team a chance to breathe. [WaPo, WashTimes]
  • Brooks Laich has been skating on his own and will accompany the team to Broadway, though he’s not expected to play. [CSNW]
• Series notes from the Caps’ end of the ice:
  • Confident goalies have confidence, and few things are as confidence-building as a 1-0 OT playoff victory… [WaPo, WashTimes, TSN]
  • … or as soul-crushing to a team that has been held scoreless for the last 111:16 of playoff hockey. [Newsday, LoHud.com, THW, WFAN]
  • From worst to first and beyond is a story that never gets old. [FanSided]
  • A reminder that 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in hockey. [WaPo]
  • A change of fortune for a few players. [CSNW]
  • “Let it go.” [CSNW]
  • The Caps’ goal deficits were huge in the first part of the season, but are damn near microscopic lately. [Dump ‘n’ Chase]
• Notes from the Rangers‘ end of the ice:
  • “…regardless of whether the Caps actually need four wins to take the series.” Ouch. [NYDN]
  • Let the line-juggling commence. [NYDN, NYT]
  • Ryane Clowe has been practicing in a full-contact sweater and may play tonight. [NHL,com]
  • Today in “Do-or-die,” with flying kitchen sink advisory. [Ranger Rants, NHL.com, nj.com, Blue Line Station, Slam! Sports, Howlings]
  • Henrik Lundqvist deserves better. [WFAN]
  • Y’know, most of the Rangers’ playoff games don’t end in a regulation scoreless tie, so really, it’s NBD. ::twitch:: [NYT]
• Up in Hershey, the Bears and the Bourques had a barnburner of an overtime game that ended with the good guys on the wrong side of the scoresheet … so it’s back to the Dunkin’ Donut Center for the decisive Game 5 … [Patriot-News (and again), SHoE]
  • But looky there, Tom Wilson got his first pro goal. Way to go, Ten Train! [Ben Raby (audio)]
• And over in Reading, the Royals are now halfway to the Eastern Conference crown after defeating the Cincy Cyclones 3-2 in overtime. [Reading Eagle]
• Congrats are in order for former Cap Bates Battaglia and his brother Anthony, who captured first place and a $1m prize on CBS’ The Amazing Race. [Georgetown Patch, NHL.com, CBS.com (cast bios)]
• Time to game-day-give to charity via JP’s beard to keep the hockey gods happy. [Beard-A-Thon]
• Finally, happy 63rd birthday to Bob Gryp.