Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight’s ginormous Southeast showdown from Vogs, NHL.com, WaPo (and again), WashTimes, CSNW, PHT and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation buds over at Arctic Ice Hockey for more from the other side of tonight’s match-up.
- Here’s how the good guys can lock up the Division tonight. [WashTimes]
- Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday out at Kettler: Joel Ward and Brooks Laich are still out, the team smiles for the camera and more. [Monumental video (Rinkside Update, Oates, Ovechkin, Brouwer, Hendricks, Hillen, Inside Access: Team Photo), WashTimes, WaPo, CSNW, DSP]
- Tom Poti is certainly a worthy Masterton nominee (though you always wish guys wouldn’t get the opportunity to demonstrate their bona fides for the award in the first place). [WaPo, WashTimes, CSNW, DCEx]
- Today in “Alex Ovechkin for Hart… or not”: ding the Caps captain for Nicklas Backstrom being on a roll as well? [ESPN ($)]
- Steve Oleksy checks in with LaVar and Dukes ... [106.7 the Fan (audio)]
- … and he also made the trip back to Hershey on Sunday to cheer on his former ‘mates in their final (and playoff berth-clinching) home game, and stopped to reflect on a remarkable personal journey … [LDN]
- … and Jack Hillen chats up the Sports Reporters. He gives a pretty good interview. [ESPN980 (audio)]
- Barely three months removed from a lockout (remember that?), Gary Bettman and Ted Leonsis head to The Hill to talk about the state of hockey in the U.S. of A. [CSNW]
- Backstrom vs. John Carlson for the cover of EA Sports’ NHL14. Who ya got? [Caps Outsider]
- The Bears are getting ready for the Baby Bruins in the most ursine playoff match-up in the history of sports. [Patriot-News]
- More on a good week down on the farm. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- Tom Wilson‘s brother may not have the future in hockey that his younger brother does, but he’s still contributing to the fabric of the game. [RMNB]
- Finally, happy 55th birthday to Ryan Walter.