Your savory breakfast links:
- Recaps of last night’s Game Four loss from us, Vogs, Monumental video (Trotz, Carlson, Oshie, Niskanen, Burakovsky, Flyers room), NHL.com, USA Today, SI.com, ESPN, CBS Sports, WaPo, CSNMA (gamer, rewind), WashTimes, Frankovic, RMNB, Peerless, DSP, and from up I-95, CSNPhilly, Flyerdelphia (and again), and Broad Street Hockey.
- A routine hit from John Carlson sent Flyers forward Scott Laughton awkwardly into the boards behind the Caps net. Laughton collapsed face first on the ice and had to be transported off the rink on a stretcher. The Flyers report that he was taken to hospital for overnight observation and that “tests were negative.” We wish Scott a full and speedy recovery. [BSH, WaPo, NHL.com, RMNB, WashTimes]
- Michal Neuvirth came through for the Flyers… [CBS Sports, SI.com, TSN]
- … although their stars didn’t, not really. [Sportsnet]
- Hey, Capitals, about those slow starts… [DC Sports Bog]
- … and hey, Fanatics, about your jinx-jinx-jinxety creepy “sweep” merchandise emails. [DC Sports Bog, RMNB]
- Regardless, the confident Caps remain confident about their chances in Game 5. [NHL.com, CSNMA, TSN]
- The Rink goes multimedia:
- “The Series So Far” – JP chatted up Rob Kerr in Calgary about the Caps’ performance in Games One thru Three. [Rink]
- “Franchise Records for Days” – Kevin Klein spoke with John Walton about the team’s stellar Game Three. [Rink on Caps Radio]
- News and notes from yesterday’s pregame skate:
- In general. [Dump ‘n Chase, Monumental video (Trotz, Chorney, Holtby, Two-Man Advantage)]
- Taylor Chorney ? Taylor Chorney. [WashTimes]
- Coach confirmed that Braden Holtby would be in net and CapsNation exhaled… [WashTimes]
- … although just before warmups we learned that Hershey goaltender Dan Ellis had been recalled and added to the Caps’ active roster on an emergency basis, although he did not dress or take part in the skate. [@TedStarkey]
- “Dressing well isn’t just part of the job for [Caps play-by-play man Joe] Beninati; it’s a passion that brings him great joy.” [WaPo]
- The Holtby-Neuvirth rivalry has come full circle. [CSNMA, Chocolate Hockey]
- Also full circle – the sporting year between Philadelphia and Washington, with DC firmly in the WIN column. [CSNMA]
- Dear NHL – revise your player safety procedures or risk a truly terrible disaster. It’s only a matter of time. [LoHud]
- Hershey update:
- Nathan Walker is having a great season in Hershey – but he still wants to become the first Australian ever to play in the National Hockey League. [ESPN]
- Ten for ten. The Hershey Bears led the American League in attendance yet again. 3.6 million fans in that decade served with great hockey and a terrific sporting experience. [Chocolate Hockey]
- The Portland Pirates are set to welcome the Bears for their first playoff game on Friday night. [panthers.nhl.com]
- Prospect update – Tim McGauley and the Brandon Wheat Kings will face off with the Red Deer Rebels for the WHL Eastern Conference crown. Puck drops for Game One on Friday at Brandon. In 11 playoff games, McGauley is 6-7-13, +5.
- Finally, happy 49th birthday to Miika Elomo, happy 46th birthday to Stew Malgunas and happy 59th birthday to Mark Lofthouse.