Your savory breakfast links:
- Recaps and other assorted musings on last night’s shootout win from us (with quotes and the night in GIFs), Monumental video (Oates, Holtby, Grabovski, Fehr, Backstrom, Ovechkin, Alzner), NHL.com, AP, Sports Xchange, WaPo (gamer, blog), CSNW (gamer, blog), Frankovic, RMNB, and from la belle province, the Habs, Montreal Gazette (gamer, blog), Hockey Inside/Out, CTV, Le Journal and Eyes on the Prize.
- An injury to Michal Neuvirth in warmups meant that Braden Holtby was back between the pipes for the Caps… [WaPo, CSNW (and again), RMNB]
- …and that Brett “Stretch” Leonhardt was back on the bench as Holtby’s backup (without missing a beat in his capacity as video coach, no less). [Sporting News, CBS Sports]
- Related – Capology for replacement goaltenders. [CapGeek]
- In other injury news, a lower-body injury for Brooks Laich meant that Jay Beagle got his first taste of game action in over a month – and just his fifth game of the season. [Dump ‘n Chase]
- Previews of tonight’s visit to Long Island from NHL.com, AP and the Islanders, and be sure to check out our always awesome SB Nation pals over at Lighthouse Hockey for the other side of tonight’s matchup.
- From healthy scratch to hero – Eric Fehr has two goals, an assist and a shootout tally under his belt since returning to the lineup Wednesday night. [Caps Outsider]
- Least exciting Richard Trophy race… ever. Or at least in recent memory. [Puck Daddy]
- So what exactly will the Caps do with disgruntled players Martin Erat and Dmitry Orlov? [WashTimes, THN, GM on a Couch]
- The host country is always under a lot of pressure at the Winter Olympics, but some disappointing performances of late have added heat to the spotlight on Alex Ovechkin and Team Russia. [NHL.com]
- Olie Kolzig believes Carey Price, former goalie for his Tri-City Americans, should get the nod as Team Canada’s starter in Sochi. [Le Journal]
- Interesting look at how Ovechkin’s switch to Bauer back in 2011 has helped give the company a major boost in the growing Russian hockey market. [Globe and Mail]