Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of Game 4 from Vogs, NHL.com, AP and Puck Buddys, and as always, be sure to stop by Blueshirt Banter for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- Congrats to Alex Ovechkin, who can once again add Ted Lindsay Finalist to his ever-expanding resume. [Caps, NHL.com, Puck Daddy, CSNW]
- Reflections on the series through three games:
- It seems as if the Rangers are having a wee bit of trouble scoring in this series… [The Score, WSJ]
- …which may have a wee bit to do with the man between the pipes for the Caps, Braden Holtby. Who is pretty good, if you haven’t heard. [NHL.com, TSN, Pressbox DC, PHT (video), StarsandSticks]
- It also has to do with the style of play the Caps are enlisting against the Blueshirts. [CSNW, WashTimes, Blue Seat Blogs]
- Of course, the lack of offense is also kind of a playoff staple – but particularly in recent years, and particularly in the East. [The Cannon]
- What we got here is a good ol’ fashioned goaltenders’ duel. [THW]
- And it’s too close to call. [CSNW]
- All of these close games could be daunting, but the Caps are in no-panic mode and it’s helped them to a 2-1 series lead. [AP]
- No. More. Afternoon. Games. [Rink]
- No-caps tweets vs. all-caps Wikipedia is the most 2015 way to express a rivalry ever. [WaPo, CSNW]
- Thumbs up to the Caps and their stingy – but not boring – style of play. [TSN]
- This series features a trio of stars still looking for their first career Stanley Cup. [THW]
- An outsider’s perspective on the series so far. [Bleedin’ Blue]
- A few leftovers from Monday night’s big Game 3 win. [Rink (Clyde’s pics), Dump ‘n Chase, CBS DC, BSB, WaPo, Stars and Sticks, Mr. Irrelevant]
- The Caps’ third line had been quiet early in the series, but they stepped up as the heroes of Game 3. [CSNW]
- Fun fact: Wonder Woman isn’t just awesome (and capable of deflecting bullets with her jewelry); she’s also a Caps fan. Or at least Lynda Carter is. [WaPo]
- New rally towels for all! [WaPo]
- The day in newsprint. [Rink, WaPo]
- News and notes from a day at Kettler:
- In general. [Monumental video (Trotz, Green, Carlson, Johansson, Wilson, Burakovsky)]
- Slow starts have plagued the Caps over the course of the playoffs, and it’s something they probably want to avoid tonight. [Dump ‘n Chase, WaPo, ]
- Mike Green is settling in to his new role with the Caps and his new place out of the spotlight, and he’s never ever leaving DC. (Okay, it doesn’t say that.) [WaPo]
- Another charging minor in Game 3 was part of a tough lesson learned by Tom Wilson about picking his times to be physical. [NHL.com, WaPo, CSNW, Toronto Sun]
- Back to Hershey with ye, Nate Schmidt. And thanks for stopping by. [Caps]
- After suffering an upper-body injury early in the first round, Eric Fehr was back on the ice with his ‘mates and is feeling stronger. [Monumental video, WaPo, WashTimes, RMNB]
- The Caps are getting contributions from the superstars and the Jay Beagles alike. [National Post, NHL.com, Toronto Sun]
- Jay Beagle’s first career playoff goal followed up his first career 10-goal season… but it should’ve been 11. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- And from the Rangers’ practice at Verizon:
- In general. [Monumental video (Vigneault, McDonagh, St. Louis, Lundqvist, Staal, Nash)]
- Alain Vigneault has no plans to change things up with his team trailing in the series. [NYDN]
- In order for the Rangers to get past the Caps, they’ll have to win the battle of wills. And probably a few more games, too. [NHL.com]
- Don’t direct blame at – or weep for – Rick Nash, for he is getting chances aplenty and will certainly break through sooner rather than later. Maybe. [NY Post, CBS NY, Puck Daddy, WaPo]
- Also scoreless yet confident? Martin St. Louis, who is looking to build on a stronger performance in Game 3. [NY Post, The Score]
- The Caps are just one of three teams in the organization gearing up for a playoff game tonight, as both the Bears and Stingrays will also be in action:
- Hershey will kick off their second-round series against the Rangers’ AHL-affiliate Hartford, and some guy named Chris Bourque. [Patriot-News]
- They’ll do so without Stanislav Galiev, at least for Game 1, but he should (hopefully) be back in the lineup by Friday. [Patriot-News]
- Going to the games in Chocolatetown? Plan your route wisely. [Patriot-News]
- The Bears are getting contributions from the next wave of talented future Caps. [THN, StarsandSticks]
- This Evgeny Kuznetsov–Brooks Orpik friendship is reaching new heights of adorability. [RMNB]
- Barry Trotz has high praise for the New Jersey Devils‘ new GM, which just proves that not everyone can say only smart things all the time. [Fire & Ice]
- These are heady times for DC sports in general… at least for now. [WaPo (video), and again]
- Speaking of DC sports (and heads), Ted Leonsis is pledging to shave his head if the Caps and Wizards both advance to their respective championship series. Interesting… [WaPo]
- Finally, happy 65th birthday to Bob Gryp.