Friday Caps Clips: Capitals vs. Lightning Game Day

Your savory breakfast links:

• Previews of tonight's clash with the Bolts from NHL.com, AP, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Raw Charge for the other side of tonight's matchup.
• Conventional wisdom states that teams in a playoff position by Thanksgiving can pretty much expect to make the postseason come springtime. Here's hoping... [ESPN]
• News and notes from a pre-Thanksgiving skate:
  • In general. [Monumental video (Trotz), Caps OT (Ovi and Oshie, stretches, family time]
  • Getting Nicklas Backstrom back on the top line has been key to getting him back to his old self. [WaPo]
  • Brooks Orpik's continued absence with an injury has opened the door for increased responsibility for Nate Schmidt. [WashTimes]
  • After spending a few weeks in Hershey on a conditioning stint, Chris Brown is back with the Caps. [Caps, WaPo]
• It's time for everyone drooling over the Habs and (inexplicably) fawning over the Rangers to turn a little of that attention on the Caps, darn it. [ESPN (DGB)]
• A few leftovers from Wednesday night's win over Winnipeg. [Dump 'n Chase, RMNB, Friends in Cold Places]
  • It took a long time - and a bit of elevation - but Alex Ovechkin finally got his second power-play goal of the season. [WaPo]
  • Rank 'em! [Rink]
• Prospect updates from around the minor-league ranks. [CSNMA]
• More giving thanks, hockey style. [Puck Daddy, The Score, CSNMA, Stars and Sticks]
• Finally, happy 57th birthday to Al Jensen.