The last week has brought little in the way of hard news, but plenty of rumors, agent talk and innuendo surrounds the Washington Capitals as the Free Agent period is set to start tomorrow.  Let's take a look at what we've heard over the last few days.

--First off, we know Brooks Laich will be back.  He re-signed Tuesday before testing the open waters. Laich's new contract immediately sparked debate about how it would affect the construction of the rest of the roster, and the team's ability to chase after free agents, both their own and any available on the market

--Wednesday we spent all day reading about how oft-injured goalie Semyon Varlamov was eschewing the NHL to go home to his motherland and play for rubles in the KHL.  Of course, his agent and his father spent much of the interview trashing the NHL, the Caps, and American doctors.  Oh, and by the way, there is no hard evidence of a contract yet.  Just sayin'.

--Thursday brought us some actual news and some quality independent reporting.  After hearing that he cleared waivers, the Caps bought out the final year of  D Tyler Sloan's contract, thus reducing his cap hit to a mere $233,333, according to reports.  Sloan will be an unrestricted free agent Friday at noon.

--A little later on Thursday, our friends and fellow independent media folks at Russian Machine broke a story quoting Matt Bradley's agent saying that "there's been no [contract] offer and we're not expecting one."  This comes as bad news for the #needmoreBradley crowd, but with the 33-year old winger's drop in production last season and Matt Hendricks new contract to fill essentially the same role for less, the writing was on the wall for the fan favorite.

--And in other RFA news, Karl Alzner's agent says the sides have "a gap to work on."  I think Caps fans have very little worry that Alzner won't be rockin' the red next season, but his contract certainly will impact the cap space and ability to chase free agents.

--Oh, and in news pertaining to former-Caps, Jaromir Jagr is still missing (link includes gratuitous full-mullet shot).

All in all, a busy week for hockey in the middle of the summer. When the free agent signing period opens Friday, that's when the real fun begins.

“I feel great about the fact that we played tremendous the first two periods, so I am not going to try to spin any negatives on this. This is a great team and we shut them down with 11 or 12 shots in two periods.” -- Coach Bruce Boudreau

THE RESULT:  The Washington Capitals played their best second period of the season in front of the 67th consecutive sellout crowd at Verizon Center on Friday night.  Caps won 5-3 over Boston Bruins.

The Caps have already played the Bruins four times prior to Friday's game.  Caps took the wins in both pre-season games and Bruins won the regular season games 3-1 and 4-1.  Both teams looked very different from that last two games. 

The Caps defense was strong throughout all of their lines and having a healthy Mike Green back has made a world of difference.  Coach Boudreau  expressed the value of Green back on the ice in his post-game presser. “He’s the best offensive defenseman in the NHL, which means he is probably the best one in the world. When you don’t have him, it’s a detriment - when you do have him, it’s a real bonus.”

Caps first goal of the game was scored by Defenseman Tyler Sloan, just one day shy of a year from his last goal.  Sloan's slapshot was his first ever goal at Verizon Center and the fourth of his NHL career. Three of them have come in November. "Yeah, I was excited. I haven't scored at Verizon [Center] yet. It was a great experience and it just happened to chip in tonight."

Sloan was part of the stellar defense tonight. “I thought the first was okay, it wasn’t great. But the second was tremendous; we just got to find a way to do a better job in the third period and continue to play like we do in the second period. We will learn, we will figure it out. I think everybody was happy overall with the whole effort tonight.”

Mike Green scored the second goal - a wrist shot with assists from Ovechkin and Backstrom.

Alex Semin continued his hot streak with a BEAUTIFUL shorthanded goal in the second period.  He ended up sliding on his belly on the ice, pounded the ice with his fist and smile from ear to ear. When asked about Semin's raised leverl of emotion after scoring, Boudreau said, "He's getting Americanized." (with laughter). "He loves to win. He loves to play."

The Caps were up 3-0 after two periods and Washington was clearly dominating the puck.  The Bruins pulled goalie Tim Thomas and replaced him with Tuukka Rask.  Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien wanted to change the momentum of the game.  "I understand," Thomas said. "Coach came and talked to me after the second period and told me what his thoughts were. And I said I understand and I agree."

Julien's strategy was working and all of a sudden the Bruins scored three unanswered goals and tied the Caps at three.  Bourdreau didn't think that Neuvirth looked good on the second and third goals.  "He might be a little tired. He's not used to playing under this kind of pressure."

So with about ten minutes remaining in a tie game against a tough team, Braden Holtby made his NHL debut.  It was a moment Holtby had thought about for twenty-one years. “Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. I was pretty shocked when [Coach] Bruce [Boudreau] told me, but it was kind of cool to go into a tight game. Definitely got the heart pumping, but [I’m] glad Johnny [John Carlson] could pull out a big shot for us and get the win.”

Holtby turned away all four shots he faced in the third period and was credited with the win. Holtby also received the hardhat after the game.

Photo 2010 © Cheryl Nichols Photography/

Capitals News Network. All Rights Reserved.

John Carlson got the game-winning goal with assists by Eric Fehr and Boyd Gordon and Alex Ovechkin got the empty-netter with :58 seconds left in the game. 

Mike Green expressed his thoughts on coach Bruce Boudreau making the goalie change. “I think so, yeah [he was trying to send a wake-up call to the whole team]. Maybe he was looking at what happen with them [Boston], they pulled their goalie and they were getting goals right away so, maybe he had a feeling or what not. It worked.”

Click here to see photos of pre-game warmups.

NOTES: 

• Ovechkin extended his points streak to five games (4 goals, 5 assists).
• Washington outshot Boston 39-18.
• Washington became the first team this season to score three goals on Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas.
• NEXT GAME: Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 5pm at Verizon Center hosting Philadelphia Flyers

Haven't seen anything official yet, but Capitals Insider is reporting that the Caps sent D Tyler Sloan back to Hershey today, clearing the way for Tom Poti to return to first pairing defense tomorrow night against Buffalo.

Sloan played fairly well while with the big team, displaying the quality skating skills he was advertised to have. He carries an even plus/minus rating and one goal -- his first NHL goal at that -- in four games back to central PA. He also will probably be forever immortalized in the "big checks" highlight reels for his hit on Daymond Langkow in Calgary.

He's too old to be considered a prospect, but at least the Caps can take comfort knowing that they have a 27-year old in the minors that can come up for a couple weeks and not embarrass himself.

Photo by AP.

Dallas -- After his wrist shot sailed over Dallas goalie Marty Turco's shoulder and into the top corner of the net, Alexander Semin's teammates mobbed him on the ice, the joy and relief of notching two points on a previously pointless three-game road trip evident. Semin's winner at 2:18 of overtime sealed a 6-5 win for the struggling Washington Capitals and brings them home feeling a little better about the road trip, which saw earlier losses to Calgary and Phoenix.

Semin's goal put an exclamation point on a big night for the Caps all around. Sergei Federov netted two goals, setting the NHL record for goals scored by a Russian-born player, Tomas Fleischmann also had a two-goal game, and Tyler Sloan scored his first career NHL goal of his career.

Federov scored twice, his 474th and 475th of his distinguished career, breaking a tie with Alexander Mogilny. Federov already owned the career record for assists and points by a Russian-born player, with 678 and 1,153.

Fleischmann, 24, put his second goal of the season past Turco with a wrist shot at 16:58 of the first, giving the Caps a 2-1 lead. He tallied again at 15:16 of the second to extend the lead to 4-2. The lead would be short-lived, as Brandon Crombeen scored just 39 seconds later to reduce the lead to one, and Dallas tied it 56 seconds into the third period, with Loui Eriksson beating Caps G Jose Theodore.

Tyler Sloan gave the Caps the lead back again at 2:22 of the third, tapping in a cross-slot pass from Viktor Kozlov, making his return after missing four games with a knee injury. But Stars captain Mike Modano punched one in at the post with just 57 seconds remaining in regulation, forcing the extra period.

Jose Theodore (3-2-0) stopped 26 of the 31 shots he faced, but it was enough for the win.

The Caps celebrate Alexander Semin's game-winning goal. (Photo by AP.)
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SCORESHEET:

WAS: Federov (2) from Semin and Backstrom (1-12:38-PP); Fleischmann (2) from Nylander (1-16:58); Federov (3) from Semin and Laich (2-11:23); Fleischmann (3) from Nylander (2-15:16); Sloan (1) from Kozlov and Ovechkin (3-2:22); Semin (7) from Gordon and Green (OT-2:17)

DAL: Avery (1) from Crombeen and Modano (1-10:19); Brunnstrom (5) from Avery and Robidas (1-19:50-PP); Crombeen (1) from Daley and Modano (2-15:55); Eriksson (4) from Ribeiro and Morrow (2-0:56); Modano (4) from Morrow and Erikkson (3-19:03)
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THE GOOD, BAD & UGLY

GOOD: The Scoresheet! Six goals, bask in the glory. OK, that might be a little strong. But after scoring just once in losses against Phoenix and Calgary, it was about time for the Caps to bust out. Special congrats to Federov, for becoming the all-time NHL Russian-born goals, assists and points leader, and to Tyler Sloan, at 27 scoring his first career NHL goal in his third game.

BAD: The Defense. What defense? Modano sat on the doorstep and was uncontested banging home the game tying goal with less than a minute to go. Green and Morrisson were both -1 for the game. This team really needs to get Poti back.

UGLY: Marty Turco. What's happened to him? He used to be one of the best goalies in the league, but he's been absolutely miserable this year. He came in with a 4.70 GAA and it'll only go up after allowing six tonight.
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NEXT GAME: Tuesday, October 28 against the Nashville Predators at 7:00 pm at Verizon Center.

RECORD: 4-3-1, one-game winning streak.

NOTES: The Stars were previously undefeated in eleven games against Washington in Dallas. The teams did not meet last season.

Tom Poti sat once again, nursing his sore groin. Eric Fehr and Dave Steckel were healthy scratches. Coach Bruce Boudreau hoped the night off would inspire and refocus Steckel, who has been struggling on offense and on face-offs, a critical part of his job.

Federov (2 goals), Modano (goal, two assists) and Semin (goal, two assists) were the three stars, as voted by attending media.

Attendance at American Airlines Center was 18,532.

It's time to go notebook style for the first time here at Caps News Network for roster changes, line shifts and minor league news!

• Tyler Sloan was recalled and has joined the Caps on the road trip. Sloan is 6'3" and a good skater on the blue line. He's also 27 and his next NHL game will be his first. The team needed another defenseman, with Poti's injury lingering, and the cap is just too tight to add Karl Alzner at this point. Sloan will pair with Jeff Schultz, leaving Morrisonn with Green and Erskine with Jurcina.

• Coach Boudreau shook up the front lines too. Federov moves back up front, teams with Ovie and Clark. Backstrom will center Laich and Semin. Nylander gets Fleischmann and Bradley, with Steckel working with Brashear (back from his hand injury) and Gordon or Fehr.

• Jose Theodore will get the start for Tuesday's game at Calgary.

• Just days after being sent down to ECHL's South Carolina, G Michal Neuvirth is back with Hershey. Capitals Insider says he'll still probably be loaned out to another AHL team.

• The Caps signed their 2008 4th round draft pick, G Braden Holtby, to a three-year entry level deal. He is currently 6-3-0 with a 2.23 GAA and .922 Save Percentage for Saskatoon of the WHL this season.