Monday afternoon notes: Relive Predators-Ducks Game 1 tonight on NHL Network

To help get you through the summer hockey doldrums, NHL Network is replaying the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs, and tonight at 7:00 Central they're showing Game 1 of the Nashville/Anaheim series. So tune your telly in, read up on the Game Preview beforehand, and follow along with the Game Threads (here are the 2nd and 3rd period ones, don't know why I can't find the 1st).

Until then, read up on your afternoon hockey news, and learn a little bit about the physics of hockey along the way...

Nashville Predators News

Preds On The Glass: POTG Happy Monday Morning Headlines, News and Links
Buddy's breakfast links included encouraging news from Tampa on ticket sales, and your latest pro surfing update.

Poile Uses His Head While Fans Scratch Theirs | The Predatorial
Jeremy looks at all the kids projected for the defense and wouldn't mind seeing a veteran added during training camp.

Paul McCann - More August Discussion... and Random Notes
Paul kicks off the week by hitting a number of topics, including spending in Columbus, a journeyman winger looking for a shot with his 5th NHL team, and more.

Around the NHL

Alexei Kovalev torches Ottawa sportswriters, ex-Sens coach - Puck Daddy
Kovalev basically flips a bird at the Senators on his way back across the Atlantic.

Legends Coming To NHL 12? - Houses of the Hockey
I'm surprised they don't have more of this already...

Statistical analysis: Joel Ward a valuable addition for Capitals - Capitals Insider
In Washington, they're looking beyond goal-scoring numbers to see how important Joel Ward can be for the Caps.

Carlyle Agrees to New 3-Year Deal - Anaheim Ducks
I assume he's been given instructions by Bob Murray to teach diving.

Seven who want to avoid the one-hit wonder tag - NHL.com
I'm surprised Sergei Kostitsyn's not included here.

Counting Down: NHL’s Best Backups | Hockey Quarterly
Anders the Giant makes an appearance...

School of Block: The Bada$$ Backups
...but he's not on this list (which has more of a fantasy hockey focus).

Mike Comrie doesn’t retire despite all the reasons he should - Puck Daddy
He's already rich, he's played for 10 years, is married to Hillary Duff, and he's facing a long recovery from hip surgery. But Mike Comrie isn't giving up on his NHL career.

Paul Kelly unloads over summertime jumps to CHL - Buzzing The Net
It's been an ugly summer for college hockey, as a number of top players have left for Canadian junior.

Politics, credit downgrading, and hockey; or how NHL contraction could end up on the table - Raw Charge
Cassie invokes the "C" word in a worst-case view of what could happen if the Canadian dollar continues to make gains against US$.

A Look Ahead To The 2012 NHL Entry Draft - Silver Seven
Let's just hope the Preds aren't in the lottery next summer so we don't need to worry about these guys, right?

In Defense of Jay Bouwmeester - Matchsticks and Gasoline
Buyer's Remorse is setting in with Calgary fans.

Lessons learned: How to ruin your blade | Hockey Gear HQ - news, reviews & deals
These aren't the old days, when you could easily heat up and bend a wooden blade however you like.

And lastly, here's a fun little "Physics of Hockey" video I found today - what surprised me is that I instantly recognized Professor Orr here, who taught a Nuclear Physics class I took at Michigan about 20 years ago. I had no idea at the time that he played hockey...