Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of tonight’s Game 3 action from Vogs, NHL.com, AP, and Puck Buddys, and be sure to check out your other friendly SB Nation reps over at Blueshirt Banter for the flip side of tonight’s matchup.
- The Caps are beasts of the East, baby. [Today’s Slapshot]
- A victory in Game 1 allowed the Caps to snatch home-ice advantage away from the Prez Trophy winners – now they’re looking to hang onto it… [WashTimes, Pressbox DC]
- …while the Rangers are looking to grab it back. [NY Daily News]
- As expected, this one has been all about the goaltenders so far. [NHL.com]
- A bit more from Saturday’s Game 2 loss. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- Taking another look at the eventual game-winning goal that beat Braden Holtby on Saturday. [RMNB]
- “The Capitals should be happy being tied at one win a piece in the series heading to Washington, while the Rangers should be content, but not thrilled.” [Blueshirt Banter]
- News and notes from a homecoming at Kettler:
- In general. [Monumental video (Trotz, Schmidt, Green, Beagle, Gleason, Rinkside Update/Ward)]
- The boys are staying loose and feeling confident as they get ready to host their first game of Round 2. [WaPo]
- With Tim Gleason (momentarily) out for maintenance, the Caps recalled Nate Schmidt for a cup of coffee and a practice with the team as a precaution. [Caps, Caps OT, WaPo, Patriot-News]
- Another goal on Saturday is just one more example of how much Evgeny Kuznetsov has blossomed over the course of the season. [WaPo]
- The Caps are ready for another long battle with the Rangers. [CSNW]
- Braden Holtby has shouldered the load for the Caps over the course of the season – and while it wasn’t by design, he’s thriving under the pressure. [National Post, CSNW]
- It’s time for Troy Brouwer to step up and have a big game. [THW, Stars and Sticks]
- Know who has been quite good this postseason? Alex Ovechkin. Take that, haters. [AP, WSJ, NY Times, RMNB]
- And some updates from the Blueshirts:
- The Caps have forced the Rangers to play some close games already – something New York is quite accustomed to doing lately. [LuHud.com]
- An Ovechkin slapper broke Kevin Klein’s arm back in March… but that didn’t stop him from throwing himself in front of another blast on Saturday, and his teammates love it. [Toronto Sun]
- Amid some recent criticism of Rick Nash, his former coach Ken Hitchcock leaps to his defense. [NY Post]
- It’s not easy to justify the continued presence of Dan Boyle on the Rangers’ blueline. [NYDN]
- Henrik Lundqvist remains in search of his first championship, and is hoping to avoid the trophy-less legacy of Patrick Ewing. [Newsday]
- Philipp Grubauer is ready to get things going in the second round as the Bears take on Hartford… aka the Rangers’ affiliate. [Patriot-News]
- One would imagine that the boss is quite enjoying these postseason runs by two members of his Monumental family. [WaPo]