They are all big games now. But, this one tonight has so many subplots and it's one we're really looking forward to. Some items that caught our eye:
update: No Knuble...
Katie Carrera / Washington Post / Capitals Insider:
Jason Chimera expected to replace Mike Knuble on Capitals’ top line --
All indications point to Mike Knuble missing at least tonight’s contest, possibly because of an injury sustained when he was hit in the right hand by a puck on Game 3. Chimera has skated with Ovechkin and Backstrom in practice for the past two days...Capitals Insider:
Capitals’ Eric Fehr looking forward to making playoff debut
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The power play needs to start working.NY Rangers:
Pregame Notes: Rangers vs. Washington --
- Over the last two seasons, the Blueshirts have tallied 10 power play goals in 30 opportunities (33.3%) in their last eight regular season games vs. Washington, including six goals in 17 power play attempts (35.3%) in four games in 2009-10.
- Henrik Lundqvist has posted a 4-6 record with a 2.61 GAA and one shutout in 10 career playoff contests vs. Washington.
- Vinny Prospal leads the Rangers with seven goals, eight assists and 15 points in 17 career playoff contests vs. Washington.
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One big key to the game: put Caps rookie goaltender, Michal Neuvirth, on tilt.NY Post:
Rangers' goal: Get inside Capitals rookie goalie's head --
The Rangers are finally trying everything, belatedly, to plant a little doubt in the mind of Michal Neuvirth, the Capitals' rookie goaltender. That shocking, bad-angle goal by Erik Christensen Sunday in Game 3 might prove the most fruitful seed...
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Will the Avery-Boyle-Prust line again provide our spark?Dave Lozo / NHL.com:
Avery-Boyle-Prust line proving productive for Rangers --
It's certainly not a line loaded with superstars, but it's been the Rangers' most consistent line entering Wednesday night's Game 4 (7 p.m., Versus, TSN) at Madison Square Garden...
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Will Grit win out over Great?Stan Fischler:
GRIT OVER GREAT: Tortorella's shock troops won the forechecking contests on Sunday and could extend -- maybe even win -- the series if they keep pounding the artsy Caps such as Alex Semin and Nik Backstrom, not to mention Ovechkin. During Boudreau's post-gamer in which he beefed about officials allowing Neuwirth to be pounded post-whistle, the coach betrayed concern about grittiness winning over greatness...
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The view from down south.Jaspers' Rink:
Wednesday Caps Clips: Round 1, Game 4 Game Day --
More on the targeting of Mike Green and his reaction to it. [CW (Whyno), CI (Schimmel), DCEx (McNally), CSN Washington (Zuckerman), Skate Skate SHOOT, SB Nation DC, and check out a good read on previously concussed players being targeted, generally, at SI.com (Hackel)] ...
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Andrew Gross's three keys to the game.- Build on momentum...
- Stay disciplined...
- Contain Ovechkin...
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And another 3 things to watch for.Rock the Red:
Playoff Pregame #4: Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers -- ... Three Things To Watch For:
- "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." - General George S. Patton, Jr.
- "If you want money, go to the bank. If you want bread, go to the bakery. If you want goals, go to the net." - Brooks Laich
- "Take the shortest route to the puck carrier, and arrive in ill humor." - Fred Shero
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There will not be any puny playoff 'stache' for "The King".Henrik Lundqvist blog:
Henrik Lundqvist to Stick With Playoff Beard
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| Lundqvist: Dubinsky’s mustache is “So bad, it’s good,” ... it was one of the “uglier” mustaches he’d ever seen |
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Torts Mode: Tortorella is not going with a 'stache'Andrew Gross / Twitter:
Tortorella says he will not go with the 'stache. Fake angrily asks questioner, "You say I'm going gray?"
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Torts also says Butterball Boudreau's "whining" won't be a factor.NorthJersey.com:
John Tortorella offers soft rebuttal --
Rangers coach John Tortorella, asked about Boudreau’s accusation that the Rangers were targeting Capitals defenseman Mike Green, who missed the final 20 games of the regular season with a concussion, took a verbal jab at his counterpart.
"Our mind-set is just focusing on what we need to do, how we play, play the right way and get ready for Game 4," Tortorella said. "We have confidence in the league, we have confidence in the officials that they won’t be influenced by all the whining going on."
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ICINGS:Ovechkin is dating a "Spy" he met online.
Apparently the Russian version of Facebook is a website called "Odnoklassniki", it translates to "Classmates." That is where Ovechkin met his girlfried, Katja, who used the name "Spy" on the website.
Alex Ovetjkin blog:
Alex Ovechkin's love story --
Meet Alex Ovechkin's new girlfriend, Katja (nickname for Ekaterina). She is a senior at Moscow Pedagogical University with major in English. She met Alex over the internet. The virtual romance turned into a real one. They met for the first time in real life on February 7, 2008 in Washington, D.C...
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