Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of pivotal Game 5 from Vogs, NHL.com, AP, Peerless, the Rangers, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Blueshirt Banter for the other side of tonight’s best-of-three kickoff.
- News and assorted whatnot from a decidedly non-off day out at Kettler:
- In general. [Monumental video (Oates, Perreault, Ovechkin, Chimera, Alzner, Brouwer), DSP]
- With the Hershey Bears’ season coming to an end Wednesday night, the Caps put out a call for fresh bodies. Accompanying Joey Crabb on the journey? 2012 first-round draft pick Tom Wilson… [Caps, CSNW, RMNB, PHT, Newsday, AP, PennLive]
- …who, believe it or not, could be called upon to fill in for an injured Martin Erat tonight. [Monumental Video, WaPo, WashTimes, NBCW, Caps OT]
- He’s not alone, though, as Adam Oates is working with a pretty deep bench (relatively speaking)… [Dump ‘n Chase, CSNW, NHL.com, SLAM!]
- …and it could get even deeper soon if things continue to progress with some guy named Brooks Laich. That name sounds so, so familiar. [Monumental video, WaPo, CSNW, Fredericksburg.com]
- Putting that whole horrific bungling puck-playing disastrophe behind him, Braden Holtby has one focus: snapping this skid at two. And his teammates aren’t worried. [NY Times, WaPo]
- Regroup, reload, reset. [Newsday]
- And updates from the Blueshirts’ side of the rink:
- Marc Staal made a triumphant return to the lineup in Game 3, but hasn’t skated since. Staying true to John Tortorella‘s M.O., the Rangers are mum on his condition. [NY Times, NJ.com]
- Meanwhile Rick Nash is still waiting for his first goal of the playoffs, as the Caps have kept him relatively in check. [Newsday, NYDN, NHL.com]
- Alex Ovechkin and Rick Nash: dueling superstars. But not in a good way. [CBC]
- Speaking of Ovechkin, let’s speak about him some more:
- There’s no question that Ovechkin (along with the Caps’ other top players) needs to step up his game – and he’s the first to admit it. [WaPo, WashTimes, CSNW, NHL.com]
- Not that he needed to, because the proof’s in the video and the video is making the rounds. Ugh. [PHT]
- Is it possible that the captain was injured on that big hit in Game 3? [RMNB]
- Boy, that whole Ovechkin lovefest that wrapped up the season sure was fun while it lasted. [ESPN]
- Two games don’t erase what was a heck of a season for the Great 8, though, and he can add 2013 Ted Lindsay finalist (among hopefully other things) to his resume as a result. [Ted’s Take, Caps, WaPo, CSNW, AP, SportsXchange]
- And maybe, just maybe, having a certain lovely lady in the stands to cheer him on will do the trick. [Caps Outsider]
- A few leftovers from Wednesday’s loss:
- When the Caps headed up to New York, they had a two-game series lead with them. Uh, guys? You forgot something. [NBCW (with video)]
- It’s okay, though – they’ve just held serve. Time for the Caps to take this home ice advantage and use it to their advantage. [Ted’s Take, DC Sports Bog]
- I don’t claim to be a hockey expert like Pierre McGuire, but I’m pretty sure in order for something to be called a head shot there has to be… what’s the word… oh yeah, an actual shot to the head. Semantics, amirite? [DC Sports Bog (and we’ll take the opportunity to mention the irony of that silliness coming on the same day as this)]
- “I nonetheless feel the Capitals are annually telling me what they keep telling their emotionally beaten-down fans: Don’t get your hopes too high because we’ll eventually dredge out your aortic valve with a backhoe.” And a happy Friday to you, too, Mike Wise. [WaPo]
- Holtby may be quietly playing himself into the mix for a spot on Team Canada in Sochi next year. [Edmonton Sun]
- The Caps beards are just downright beardtastic, with the potential for even more. Hopefully. [Puck Daddy]
- Speaking of beards – click! Donate! Do good! Feel good! [Beard-a-thon]