NHL News: Ding-dong, the...not yet but soon

For the third time this series (hee hee), the Rangers played a strong and arguably better game (hee hee), yet still came away with a loss in Game 3 (bwahahaha), to fall back to the brink in the Stanley Cup final. If I had any empathy for Rangers fans, I would feel bad about how much they've carried play without results. But no. No.

• The Smurfs wallow in their suffering a great piece by Staple at Newsday | More at NJ.com
• Here are the top Jonathan Quick saves. [Puck Daddy]
  
• Seems silly at this point to hate Dustin Brown as team captain. [Puck Daddy]
• Closer to home, we discussed trade rumors and the Islanders over and over. Also, Taylor Cammarata was the latest appearance on our 25 Under 25.

Elsewhere

• The NHL competition committee mulled various changes, including expanded instant replay and Olympic-style faceoff hash marks. [CBC]
  
• Jiri Sekac (and please, it's pronounced "Yeh-Zhee," not "Yer-ree") is an interesting undrafted KHL free agent. [LHH]
  
• The Hawks are having a tough time signing their Hobey Baker finalist Kevin Hayes. [ESPN] If he resists, on Aug. 15 he'll become a free agent.
• I see what you did there: Where hockey's new numbers get it wrong | CanucksArmy
• Fear The Fin takes on the latest Joe Thornton trade rumors.
  
• Like hockey video games? Here is a preview/trailer of NHL 15. [Polygon]
• Terry Crisp and Stu Grimson will change roles in Nashville, because Crisp is old and Grimson is a lawyer. [Tennesseean]
• The creators of those OYO NHL mini figurines. [Untied Mag]

Everywhere

Christmas is six months away, but I'd never seen this, it's cool, and with Bill Watterson's brief return to the comics last week, I thought it worth sharing:

Three down, one to go.