Your savory breakfast links:
- Previews of Game Three from Vogs (plus game notes), NHL.com, NVC, and be sure to check out our SB Nation frenemies over at Broad Street Hockey for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- “Win it for Ed” – The Flyers will be bidding farewell to their late founder and chairman Ed Snider. Expect emotion. [USA Today, SI.com, Philly.com, CSN Philly]
- Game Three – the danger zone. [CSNMA]
- Point: Philly’s playoffs record when down two games to none is not good. [Metro.com]
- Counterpoint: Washington’s playoffs record when up two games to none might be worse. Oy. [@ESPNStatsInfo]
- Oh hai there physical play:
- From your Lehigh Valley Phantoms, welcome captain Colin McDonald, all 6’2″ and 219 pounds of him… [CSN Philly]
- … perhaps because Alex Ovechkin has been giving the Flyboys hits and fits… [Courier Post, WaPo, Philly.com, @davegisaac]
- … but here’s a few reasons why giving McDonald a sweater is not the best game plan for Philly. [BSH]
- From the Capitals‘ end of the ice:
- Let’s all appreciate Nick Backstrom. If you click on only one link today (and of course you’re clicking on them all), make it this one. [Sportsnet]
- Add in Marcus Johansson, and we’ve got silky-skating Swedes FTW. [NVC]
- More urgency, please. [WaPo]
- The penalty kill has been stellar, although the coaches and the killers agree that they’ve provided too many opportunities in this series. [WaPo, WashTimes]
- But hey, WTG power play. [WashTimes]
- History, whatever. Caps have a chance to write a brand new chapter, and with a happier ending. [CSNMA]
- Former Fighting Sioux T.J. Oshie and Taylor Chorney are still adjusting to playing against their college coach. [WaPo]
- From the Flyers end of the ice:
- Won’t anyone rid the Caps’ net of this troublesome tendy? The Flyers ponder solutions to Braden Holtby after he has stopped 61 of their 62 shots. [Philly.com]
- Then they will need their forwards to be better. [Postmedia]
- After that it’s time to fix the special teams. [Post Courier]
- Best not talk about the goaltending. [Philly.com, RMNB]
- Ultimately, they will need to get themselves right. [Metro.com]
- Looking back at Game Two, from the good guys’ side:
- Takeaways and throwaways from Game Two. [Peerless]
- The turning point was Jason Chimera‘s goal, scored during intermission, when he shot the puck from the redline right through the little slot in the board and won a car (s/t Mike-L Pivonka in comments). [RMNB]
- That pass. Lordy, that pass. [NVC]
- Like a boss. John Carlson gives Brayden Schenn the business, and the staredown. [RMNB]
- The Caps were handily outshot and still managed to assert their dominance. [S&S]
- Jason Chimera, at 36 years old, was an easy choice for “Old Bae of the Game.” [NYC Caps Crew]
- When the Caps score, it’s time for pinot grigio shots. Uh, what? [NYC Caps Crew]
- Hershey Bears news:
- Yesterday was the final regular season game of the Doug Yingst Era, as he will be retiring as President and General Manager of the Hershey Bears Hockey Club at the end of this post-season. But fear not – the club will be left in good hands. [theAHL.com]
- Goaltending prospect Vitek Vanecek was recalled from South Carolina and made a dazzling AHL debut against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, stopping 25 of 26 shots in regulation and all the shots he faced in overtime and the shootout, giving Hershey points 97 and 98 on the season. He was named 1st star of the game and Jakub Vrana provided the postgame translation. [Chocolate Hockey (pics), NVC, Chirps From Center Ice]
- Also of note, newly-signed Mercyhurst prospect goalie Adam Carlson made his pro debut, suiting up for backup and ball cap duty in this game. [@YouthHockeyHub]
- The Hershey Bears Booster Club issued its usual bushel of player awards pregame. [Chocolate Hockey (pics)]
- Chris Bourque is your 2015-2016 AHL Points Scoring Champion. [theAHL.com]
- The Bears’ first-round opponent is the (Florida affiliate) Portland Pirates, and will open the series at Portland on Friday. [theAHL.com]
- South Carolina Stingrays news:
- They lead their best-of-seven Round One over the Kalamazoo Wings two games to none. Game Three is tonight at the ‘Zoo. [Stingrays Media, Live on 5 (highlights)]
- Vanecek will be returned to the Stingrays to continue their playoff run. [@ScottStuccio]
- Finally, happy 39th birthday to Sebastian Charpentier, and happy 38th to Boyd Kane.