Tuesday Caps Clips: Nic of Time

Daily Washington Capitals news and notes: The Caps shake off early doldrums for a big comeback win in OT, Kuemper returns, Oshie holds the key to many things and more.

Your savory breakfast links:

• Looking at what the week ahead of the Christmas break will hold for the Caps. [Rink]
• Recaps and other assorted musings on last night’s win from us, Vogs, Caps video (Laviolette, Eller, Dowd, Gustafsson, recap), Wings, NHL, Athletic ($), AP, Reuters, WaPo, NBCSW, Freep, WHN, NoVa Caps, RMNB, Caps Outsider, and WIIM.
• Alex Ovechkin has been red-hot, but on nights when he cools down a bit, the Caps have been able to get offense from all over the roster. [NBCSW]
• So what was up with that super-weird, super-long delay after Dowd’s second goal for which we received no explanation whatsoever during the game? [WHN]
• SnowMites. On. Ice. [NHL]

• Congratulations to Alex Ovechkin, who followed in teammate Charlie Lindgren’s footsteps by taking home the NHL’s first star of the week honors! [Caps, NHL]
• As expected, the Metropolitan Division has turned into a tough, multi-team cluster with six teams in the mix – and at least one good team will likely miss the playoffs. [Sportsnet]
• Darcy Kuemper is all healed up and has been activated from the IR, sending Hunter Shepard and Zach Fucale back to Hershey. [Caps, NBCSW]
• Also Hershey-bound is Lucas Johansen, who has been loaned back to the Bears. [Caps]
• The Caps pulled off a win last night, but it does seem like T.J. Oshie’s presence or absence in the lineup has impacted the team’s nightly outcomes. [NoVa Caps]
• Oshie’s health will also likely determine what the team does whenever Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson are ready to return to the lineup. [WHN]
• With Alex Ovechkin just two goals shy of topping Gordie Howe’s goal record, the Detroit media would like to remind you that he likely won’t get near Howe’s “REAL” record. [Freep]
• When Lionel Messi finally took home his World Cup championship this weekend, Messi’s fan, Alex Ovechkin, was thrilled – and there are parallels between their two careers. [AP]
• Happy 32nd birthday to Alexander Urbom, and happy 72nd to Bill Clement!
• Finally, may your day be filled with unexpected but wonderful surprises: