Your savory breakfast links:
- Takeaways from an examination of giveaways and takeaways by the Caps over the course of the season. [Rink]
- Those giveaways? Not so noticeable when the guy between the pipes is doing the kind of work Braden Holtby is doing these days. [Rink]
- Recaps and other assorted musings on last night’s shootout loss from us (QuickCap, Recap), Vogs, Monumental video (Trotz, Fehr, Brouwer, Holtby, Niskanen, highlights), NHL.com, AP, WaPo (gamer, blog), CSNW, RMNB, On Frozen Pond and Litter Box Cats.
- That shootout wasn’t just long, it was historic. And also long. When Brooks Orpik gets a turn… yeah. [NHL.com (highlights), Puck Daddy, Sporting News, PDL]
- So… was it a goal? [CSNW (video)]
- The Panthers have gotten themselves into a playoff position by scratching out points from one-goal games… and really, really long shootouts. [WaPo]
- Turns out the Caps and Cats are pretty familiar foes. And that was before they faced each other in a 20-round shootout. [Litter Box Cats]
- Winter Classic news:
- We recap last night’s premiere episode of ‘Road to the Winter Classic’… [Rink]
- …and some other people do, too. [NHL.com, Puck Daddy, RMNB]
- Miss the first episode of the EPIX series? Well, now you have no excuse for missing episodes two, three and four! [WaPo, SCH, RMNB]
- And once you tune in, you’ll have a handy viewing guide and an even handier drinking game to help you along. [Puck Daddy (and again)]
- The subjects of the show were pretty pumped about seeing it for the first time, too. [WaPo]
- An interview with Ross Greenburg, the brains behind the series. [The Big Lead]
- More on the series and what it could mean – or at least what the NHL is hoping it means – for the audience. [Adweek]
- On the day of the Winter Classic, the NHL will feature a spectator plaza with music and assorted activities outside Nats Park. [NHL.com, CSNW]
- The truck that makes the ice and keeps it there has arrived! [Talk the Red]
- The curious case of Joel Ward, who appears to be aging in reverse. [RMNB]
- Looking at the Caps’ improved play, some improved trade targets and other assorted thoughts on the Caps. [Stars and Sticks]
- The Caps have a new culture. Namaste. [DSP]
- News and notes from yesterday’s pregame skate:
- In general. [Monumental video (Trotz, Ward, Rinkside Update/Schmidt)]
- Now that Mike Green is back and healthy, the Caps are hoping that he can inject a little life into the power play. [WaPo]
- If the Caps are going to have even a shot at winning a Cup someday, they have to be a lot better. [CSNW]
- Andre Burakovsky won’t be leaving the Caps to play in the World Junior Championships, and his coach explains why. [WaPo]
- Hershey update:
- Aaron Volpatti was granted a bit of shore leave from his stint in the AHL to return to DC in time for some out-of-town visitors. [Patriot-News]
- The Bears put some smiles on the faces of kids who could use a few smiles in their holiday visit to a local hospital. [CBS21]
- Finally, happy 56th birthday to Dave Poulin, and happy 49th to Craig Berube.