Your savory breakfast links:
- Recaps and other assorted musings on last night’s loss from us, Vogs, Monumental video (Oates, Ovechkin, Wilson, Brouwer, Carlson), NHL.com, AP, WaPo, CSNW, Peerless, DSP, RMNB, Columbus Dispatch, and the Jackets.
- As if losing in such a way wasn’t bad enough, the Caps may have also lost Mike Green for a bit, as he left the game after a questionable hit late in the first period last night. Ugh. [NHL.com, WaPo, CSNW, PHT, Puck Daddy]
- Previews of tonight’s visit to Motown from Vogs and NHL.com, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Winging It in Motown for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- Because the Caps just can’t catch a break, the incredibly banged-up Wings could be getting their incredibly talented captain back – just in time for the Caps’ visit. [Freep]
- Are you Nellie enough? Join the Team DC crew for a Night OUT during the game tonight. Prizes! Booze! The Puck Buddys! All good things, even with the Caps game. [Puck Buddys]
- Your Capitals Minute for today. [Capitals Voice]
- What makes a top-six forward and what’s up with Marcus Johansson’s lack of goals in this week’s Mailbag. Keep those questions coming – remember, you ask, we answer! [Rink]
- Take a closer look at some of the defensive lapses that turned Tuesday’s game into an overtime affair, as Rob breaks down more Moments that Matter. [Rink]
- Alex Ovechkin‘s team – and therefore by extension, Ovechkin himself – is stumbling towards the Olympic break, and something has to give. [THN]
- As the trade deadline draws near, here are ten NHLers who could benefit from a change in scenery. Uh…hey, Toronto, trade you #9 for #1. [BHS]
- Speaking of the trade deadline, the Caps may still be in the playoff hunt, but they might also be sellers when the deadline rolls around. [ESPN ($)]
- Meanwhile, Martin Erat and his goalless season march on. [Talk the Red]
- The Olympics are just a week away, kids…
- If you haven’t heard, the stakes are incredibly high for Ovechkin and Team Russia in Sochi. And if you have heard… well, they still are. [WaPo, WashTimes, Olympic.org]
- One of the heroes of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic team, Mike Eruzione, talks about USA vs. Russia: 2014 edition. [Int’l Business Times]
- Johan Franzen will be sitting out the Olympics due to ongoing concussion problems. Bad for Franzen, but could that open up a spot on Team Sweden for Marcus Johansson? [Sporting News, Talk the Red]
- The Olympic dream is about to come true for John Carlson, who will get to wear his country’s jersey for the first time on the biggest stage next week. [WaPo]
- Heads up, equipment geeks: the new OD1N line of Bauer equipment that Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin (among others) have been testing out will be unveiled at the Sochi games. [Mashable]
- Why on earth are the Eastern Conference standings so close? Besides, y’know, rampant mediocr-, er, parity. Parity! [Pucks and Pitchforks]
- Michael Latta talks chirping, fighting, the busy life of an AHL call-up and more. [RMNB]
- Looking at how the Caps’ once mighty power play has become powerless, with just three goals on 42 opportunities over their last 11 games. [Talk the Red]
- Prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov helped secure a playoff spot for his team with four games left in the KHL regular season. That’s nice that he could do that for… someone. [R-Sport]
- News and notes from yesterday’s optional practice:
- In general. [Monumental video (Oates, Holtby, Rinkside Update/Green]
- “It was a colossal train wreck. Everything went wrong, we couldn’t do anything right.” A quote about last night? Nope! About the last visit to Columbus. So…yeah. Pigeons learn faster, guys. [WaPo]
- Caps’ owner Ted Leonsis has long used his blog to communicate with fans – now he talks about why. [WaPo]
- The Caps’ Winter Classic is just under a year away, so what would make it uniquely Washington? I’m thinking… red tape, traffic and disappointment. [CSNW]
- Maryland native – and Caps’ prospect camp invitee – Sam Anas is leading the nation’s freshmen in scoring, with 32 points in 27 games for Quinnipiac. [Gazette.net]
- The Sudbury Wolves will honor former Pack player Dale Hunter by raising his jersey to the rafters before Sudbury takes on Hunter’s Knights tonight. [Northern Life, LF Press]
- Finally, happy birthday to Mikhail Grabovski, who celebrates the big 3-0 today. Heal up soon, big guy.
