Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of Game Three from Vogs (plus game notes), NHL.com, AP, Stars and Sticks, and be sure to check out our SB Nation frenemies over at Lighthouse Hockey for the other side of today’s matchup.
- “I don’t think there will be any questions.” Braden Holtby returned to practice and declared himself fit for duty in the Caps’ cage for Game Three. [WaPo, CSNW (and again), WashTimes, NHL.com]
- It seems likely that defenseman Travis Hamonic will continue to be an injury scratch for the Isles… [Rotoworld]
- … and it is possible that NYI rookie callup Griffin Reinhart (6’4″, 217lbs) will get a sweater for this match. [NHL.com]
- There’s no place like home, and the Isles are counting on a boisterous Long Island crowd to have their back… [Isles Media, NY Times, Islanders Insight, Newsday (and again)]
- … though Isles captain John Tavares warns his squad to keep their composure regardless of the score… [NY Post]
- … while Caps captain Alex Ovechkin double-dog dares the Coliseum crowd to bring the noise… [NYI Point Blank, CSNW]
- … and besides, all the players love a good rowdy crowd. Even the guys playing on the road. [WaPo]
- Looking back at Game Two, from the good guys’ side:
- What worked… and what didn’t. [Rink]
- The reports of the demise of Rock the Red were greatly exaggerated. [DC Sports Bog]
- Down by two goals, the team… refused to panic. Wait, what? [DC Sports Bog]
- “I prepared and as soon as the puck drops it’s all about business.” Philipp Grubauer is playing it cool after his inaugural playoff victory. [CSNW]
- The turning point was the Captain’s goal, scored from
somewhere on the pointthe Ovi spotright in front of the net. [S&S]
- And from that Brooklyn-bound bunch:
- Are there any lineup adjustments in the offing? [NYI Point Blank]
- Oh, and mind the puck management, please. [Ibid.]
- Again with the broken sticks. [Newsday]
- In praise of Johnny Boychuk, plus some injury updates. [Newdsay]
- The Isle can’t repeat the sloppy mistakes of Game Two. Right? [NYDN]
- “[The Bulliest Dozer is] also a story about self-awareness and change. And in a non-bullying sense, that makes it a story about Eric Fehr.” [WaPo]
- The Hershey Bears completed their regular season with a tidy 100 standings points with a 5-1 victory over the Lehigh Vally Phantoms. The Caps kiddies had themselves a great game – Jakub Vrana with a goal and two assists, Travis Boyd with a goal and an assist, and Christian Djoos notched an assist in his North American pro debut. [Patriot-News]
- Bears President and General Manager Doug Yingst announced that Giant Center is getting upgrades to is scoreboard, stadium ribbon and video production studios this summer. [Patriot-News]
- Down a level, the South Carolina Stingrays lost to the Reading Royals 4-2 on Saturday, which leaves their first-round series tied at one game apiece. [@JoeyZStingrays]
- Finally, “Whatever happened to Terry Yake?” is not a question that is asked often here at the Rink, but in case you were wondering, here you go. [The Telegram]