Sunday Caps Clips: Flyers @ Capitals Game Day

Your savory breakfast links:

• Today we celebrate Smokin’ Al Koken and his magnificent 30 years of broadcasting DC sports on Home Team Sports/Comcast:
  • Actually Smokin’ Al has been reporting on the Caps since their inaugural season, when he was wielding a United Press International press pass. [Ted’s Take]
  • Comcast has an All-Koken broadcast planned, with Smokin’ Al serving as analyst in the first period, providing play-by-play in the second, between the glass in the third, and then his customary post-game host duties. [CSNW, DC Sports Bog]
  • The Buddys provide this outstanding interview, with Koken riffing on the gloomy and impossible-to-leave Cap Centre, how Bryan Murray helped him become a better broadcaster, the Caps’ next superstar and more. [Puck Buddys]
  • And oh, the photos! Post ’em if you’ve got ’em, please. [@jonwarnerWTOP, @ChuckGormleyCSN, @JenksCSN]
• Previews of this afternoon’s Kokenmania clash with the Flyers from Vogs (plus game notes), NHL.com, AP, Stars and Sticks and Peerless, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Broad Street Hockey for the other side of today’s matchup.
  • Jakub Voracek hasn’t been feeling right on the ice lately, and it’s been showing in his game. [nj.com]
  • Kimmo Timonen has begun skating again, even with blood clots remaining in his legs, and hopes to return to action in a week or so. [Intelligencer]
• That was quick – Philipp Grubauer was returned to Hershey, where he backstopped the Bears to an overtime victory over Wilkes Barre-Scranton. [Patriot-News]
  • … with that victory, the Bears’ record in calendar year 2015 moves to 11-1-0-1… [@TimLeone]
  • … and since returning from injury, Grubauer is 6-0-0 in his last six AHL starts. [@ScottStuccio]
  • But don’t overlook that Grubi played a very nice game against the Ducks. [Caps Outsider, NBC4]
  • In the corresponding transaction, Andre Burakovsky has been returned to the Caps’ roster. [Caps]
• A few Caps/Ducks leftovers:
  • Pictures, as an exhibition. [Rink]
  • Here’s our SB Nation brethren’s evaluation/recap; the “Iceholes” feature is kind of cool. [Anaheim Calling]
  • Former bench boss Bruce Boudreau had some kind words for the new-look Barry Trotz Capitals. [CSNW]
• We talkin’ ’bout practice, which the Caps haven’t had many of lately. [WaPo]
• Evgeny Kuznetsov is growing his game at exactly the right time. [WaPo]
• Finally, happy 48th birthday to Yvon Corriveau and happy 55th to Dino Ciccarelli.