Your savory breakfast links:
- Be sure to tune in at 10:00 this morning for a special edition of Japers’ Rink Radio, as Pepper and Russell chat with Caps legend Rod Langway and reveal the location of the magical prize Zamboni.
- Previews of tonight’s Game 2 with the Rangers from Vogs, NHL.com (Lozo), CSN Washington (O’Halloran), WSJ, Frankovic, Peerless, RtR, Puck ‘N Hockey, CRtC and Scotty Hockey (Rangers), and be sure to check out our SB Nation partner Blueshirt Banter for more coverage from the other side of tonight’s match-up.
- Notes and assorted whatnot from yesterday’s practices:
- In general. [Caps365 video (Boudreau, players), CI (Carrera), DCEx (McNally), 106.7 The Fan (Kerstein), bridgetds (pics)]
- On Alex Ovechkin and his beautiful ugly goal. [NHL.com (Masisak), CW (Whyno), ESPN (video)]
- Mike Green felt “great” after his return. [CSN Washington (O’Halloran)]
- If/when Tom Poti gets healthy, he might have a hard time cracking the lineup. [CW (Whyno)]
- Marcus Johansson on his playoff debut. [CI (Carrera)]
- And plenty from the Rangers side of things. [CI (Schimmel), Ranger Rants (here, here and here), Blueshirts Blog, Blue Notes]
- As we noted in yesterday’s Noon Number, the Caps’ shot-blocking was one of the big stories of Game 1. [AP (White), WashTimes (Whyno), CI (Carrera), DCEx (Keim)]
- Alexander Semin: X-factor. [WaPo (El-Bashir), and for some of Sasha’s post-game scrum, head over to RMNB and NYT]
- Among the many stand-out Game 1 performers was Karl Alzner, whose play belies his age and experience. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- AO’s physicality rallies the troops. [NHL.com (Masisak)]
- It’s rare that a team can change its identity without changing the guy calling the shots, but that’s exactly what the Caps have done. [Capitals]
- Wednesday night’s win killed three birds with one stone, err, shot. [106.7 The Fan (Elfin)]
- With a day off between games and just three goals scored in Game 1, there’s plenty of time to analyze… the goal celebration(s). [NBC Washington, Peter Blogdra, Alex Ovetjkin, Sick Unbelievable, SB Nation]
- Not breaking news: the Caps need to crash the net to beat Henrik Lundqvist. [SB Nation DC]
- A look at Game 1 scoring chances. Great Stuff. [BSB]
- Other thoughts on the series’ first game. [NHL.com (Lozo), WashTimes (Daly), CW (Whyno), NorthJersey (Gulitti), Versus (video), D.C. Sports Bog, RLS, Box Seats, RMNB, FanPost, and check out a roundup of what they were saying yesterday in the Big Apple over at CSN Washington (Dewhurst)]
- The Rangers are still waiting on Marian Gaborik to deliver. Hopefully that wait will continue. [ESPN (Burnside)]
- Yesterday’s radio hits:
- John Carlson on NHL Live!… [NHL Live! (audio)]
- … and Bruce Boudreau on LaVar and Dukes. [106.7 The Fan (audio)]
- The Caps’ depth: unimpressive? [Puck Prospectus]
- For Russians, some love. [Puck Buddys, who salute the 2010-11 Caps with a montage here]
- Another edition of Sasha vs. Sasha. [RtR]
- We the fans are an anxious lot. [WaPo (Steinberg)]
- TV ratings for Game 1 were big locally and nationally. [D.C. Sports Bog, Puck The Media]
- James Mirtle reveals his NHL awards ballot, risks deportation from Canada for his Calder pick. [Globe and Mail]
- Alzner goes to school. [Connection Newspapers]
- There exist three better goaltending prospects than Braden Holtby? That’s unpossible! [The Goalie Guild]
- Cody Eakin and the Kootenay Ice pulled off a pretty big (and convincing) upset this week. [Buzzing The Net]
- Brief updates on a handful of Caps European and NCAA prospects. [HF]
- One of that latter group, Phil DeSimone, is waiting for the Caps to sign him. Will they? [TNH Sports]
- Finally, happy 34th birthday to Brian Pothier.