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Thursday Caps Clips: Round 1, Game 5 Game Day

Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: It's Game Five at home for potentially three-quarters of all the marbles.

By EmilyB
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Your savory breakfast links:

  • Previews of Game Five from Vogs (plus game notes) and NHL.com, and be sure to check out our SB Nation pals over at Lighthouse Hockey for the other side of tonight's match-up. 
    • The Caps return to the Verizon Center with the series tied and home ice restored... [WaPo]
    • ... as if it matters. Whatever. [Newsday]
    • The best-of-seven becomes a best-of-three, and the first team to two wins takes it. [Islanders]
  • Hot buttered takes on Tom Wilson 's Game Four hit on Lubomir Visnovsky:
    • First and foremost, Visnovsky is hurting after that hit, did not skate yesterday, and is questionable/doubtful/almost certainly unavailable for Game Five. [Newsday, NYI Point Blank]
    • The NHL Department of Player Safety has determined that Wilson will not face supplemental discipline. [@KatieStrangESPN]
    • With or without the supplemental discipline, Visnovsky's teammates are spitting mad about the loss of their defenseman... [CSNW, PHT, Puck Daddy, ESPN, RMNB, Newsday,
    • ... and Brooks Laich 's radio commentary did little to defuse the situation. [106.7 The Fan (audio), NYI Point Blank]
    • At Kettler, Wilson discussed the play and the subsequent penalty. [WaPo, WashTimes]
    • Kudos to our SB Nation brethren at Lighthouse Hockey for their considered response. [LHH]
  • Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday's Caps practice:
    • In general. [Monumental video (Capitals Report, Trotz, Holtby, Wilson, Alzner, Chimera, Brouwer, Ward)]
    • Optional skates are optional, and many players exercised their option. [@alex_prewitt]
    • Fatherhood, married life and a tremendous goalie coach have all contributed to Braden Holtby's successful season between the pipes. [NHL.com]
    • Andre Burakovsky had a solid playoff debut, and is trying his hardest to earn that sweater. [NHL.com]
    • "... but most importantly this is a story about Joel Ward’s [backside]." [WaPo]
  • Game Four leftovers: 
    • What worked and (the much improved) what didn't. [Rink, S&S]
    • All hail 'all-world' Nick Backstrom and the overtime goal he orchestrated so skillfully and so willfully. [WaPo, CSNW]
    • Did that biscuit bend into the basket from a lucky bounce? The Big Cheese will neither confirm nor deny. [RMNB]
    • Keep up the great work, Caps penalty killers. [WashTimes]
    • And of course the most important penalty killer - the man holding steady in goal. [WaPo]
    • Brooks Orpik's facial slash injury was less severe than it looked, probably. Which is good 'cos it looked pretty bad. [DC Sports Bog]
    • The Game Four rewind and megamix. [Capitals Voice]
  • Notes from the Isles' end of the ice:
    • Stan Fischler wargames Game Five. Spoiler - the Isle just might want to keep an eye on that Backstrom fella. [MSG.com]
    • Oh hai there Mikhail Grabovski, long time no see. [LHH, NHL.com, NYI Point Blank]
    • With Hamonic and Visnovsky on the shelf, the Isles' thinning blueline could become problematic. [theScore]
    • For one thing, who's even available to pull on a sweater? [Islanders Insight, and again]
    • Again with the broken sticks. [Newsday]
  • The Hershey Bears are prepping for Game One of their first round series with the Worcester Sharks, and they have one question... when can they expect their goaltender back? [Patriot-News, and again]
  • Congratulations and best wishes to Caps anthem singer MSG Caleb B. Green III on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Army Band. [@noazark151]
  • Finally, happy 57th birthday to Ryan Walter.