Dima celebrates his fourth goal of the year (Photo credit: Kyle Mace of Sweetest Hockey on Earth)

Dripping with sweat after a thirty-minute session on a stationary bike, I asked Dmitry Orlov how he was feeling Saturday night after the biggest game of his professional career.

“Not good. We lost.”

Orlov, a 20-year-old offensive defenseman from Novokuznetsk, Russia, could have cared less about his first ever three-point performance, the fact that he rifled three shots on net, or that he was on the ice for three minutes of the game’s five-minute overtime– big-time minutes for a young player.

He also didn’t want to think about his highlight-reel goal in the first period where he took the puck from behind Hershey’s own net, went around two defenders in the neutral zone, and scored on a slapshot from just inside Albany’s blue line – a jaw-dropping individual play. The Bears endured their fourth straight loss, this time to the visiting Devils, and he was victimized on Albany’s second goal, in which he lost a one-one-one battle with Nathan Perkovich in front of the net.

Unlike Dima (Orlov’s nickname), Mark French, the Bears’ Calder Cup-winning head coach, kept perspective in his post-game press conference. “His talent was on display tonight. His first goal — the second goal of the game — was a nice shot, but I thought his skill and his NHL upside was clearly on display.”

Orlov — continuing to grow more comfortable by the day with English — was recalled to the Washington Capitals early Sunday and looks to play in his first NHL game Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes, trying the give the Capitals a much-needed jolt. Mike Green, whose latest groin injury was classified by Bruce Boudreau as “an actual day-to-day thing” nine days ago, has not recovered as fast as team officials would have liked and may not skate until later this week. Green has only played in 13 games since February 1st of last season, a harrowing statistic.

“We just thought we needed a little shake up, just somebody with a little more energy from the back end a little bit,” Boudreau, the Capitals embattled head coach, told the Washington Post’s Katie Carrera. “Supposedly last night in Hershey he was fabulous — he had a goal and two assists, and thought we could use that.”

For those of you who have been reading RMNB for the last two years, Orlov’s quick rise to the NHL should not be a surprise. For those of you who have gotten on the RMNB bandwagon a wee bit late, hey, that’s all good. Let’s catch you up on what you’ve missed.

Dmitry Orlov’s First KHL Goal (11-23-2008)

Dima’s first KHL goal came on November 23, 2008 when he was 17 years, 4 months, and 0 days old. Orlov became the second youngest player defenseman to ever record a goal in the KHL — a league mostly comprised of men and NHL retreads. Only Zakhar Arzamastsev has scored quicker at 17 years and 1 month. Orlov went on to record seven goals and 14 assists in 102 career games in the KHL and Russian Super League.

Dmitry Orlov is Drafted by the Washington Capitals (6-29-2009)

Orlov was selected by the Washington Capitals in the second round, 55th overall of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He was the second Russian drafted – Dmitry Kulikov was selected 14th by the Panthers. With his debut Monday, Orlov will now be the third Capitals player in the 2009 draft to play in the NHL. Marcus Johansson and Cody Eakin are the others.

Dmitry Orlov Eats Cupcakes at 2010 Development Camp

This isn’t really an accomplishment. This is just a great photo by RMNB’s Chris Gordon. Here Orlov and 2010 first round pick Evgeny Kuznetsov scarf down cupcakes.

Dmitry Orlov Awarded Davydov Trophy (9/16/2010)

During the 2009-10 season, Metallurg Novokuznetsk failed to qualify for the KHL playoffs so they decided to send Orlov down to the Novokuznetsk Bears of the MHL, the KHL’s developmental league. After totaling only four goals and three assists in 43 KHL games, Orlov found his game in the junior circuit, leading the Bears to the MHL Finals. Orlov’s nine goals and 10 assists in the playoffs ranked him third among all players. He was awarded several top honors including the Davydov trophy as the MHL Playoff MVP and was also named the best defenseman of the MHL Finals and Semifinals.

Dmitry Orlov Wins Gold Medal at WJC (1/5/2011)

Orlov, along with fellow Capitals draft pick Evgeny Kuznetsov, led the Russians to a Gold Medal in the 2010 World Junior Championship held in Buffalo. Trailing Canada 3-0 in the Championship game, the Russians scored five unanswered goals in the third period, winning the tournament in dramatic fashion. One of Russia’s assistant captains, Orlov played a key role for the squad finishing with nine points in six games. He also was named to the post-tournament the all-star squad.

Dmitry Orlov Leaves the KHL for Hershey (2/27/2011)

After another losing season in the KHL, Orlov got out of his contract with Metallurg and signed an entry-level deal with the Washington Capitals. On February 27th, Orlov made AHL debut against the Albany Devils. Not only did he register a point in his first game as a Hershey Bear, he also inspired The Patriot-News’s Tim Leone to comment,”That’s the best first 20 minutes from a 19-year-old D I’ve ever seen in this league.” RMNB’s Igor Kleyner caught up with Dima after his first professional game. You can check out the interview here.

Dmitry Orlov Scores His First Career AHL Goal (3/9/2011)

Orlov went on to score his first AHL goal ten days later against the Worchester Sharks. In his first abbreviated season in the AHL, Orlov finished with nine points in 19 games.

Mark French Compares Orlov to John Carlson (9/22/2011)

During Caps training camp, I caught up with Hershey Bears Head Coach Mark French and he compared Dmitry to fellow Capital John Carlson. “I think Dmitry’s got a lot of upside. What I really like about him that he has similar to John is he has a real swagger [on the ice]. They both don’t get intimidated by a situation. They both seem to rise to the occasion more than be intimidated by it. I think that’ll make him a very good hockey player.” Read the whole interview here.

Photo credit: Hershey Bears Facebook Page

In early February, when Metallurg Novokuznetsk failed to reach the KHL playoffs, Dmitry Orlov worked out a deal with the team’s management. Instead of being sent down to the MHL to play for Metallurg’s affiliate during their playoff run, Orlov started his professional career in the Capitals’ organization to work towards his goal of becoming an NHL player.

He flew to America, and made his AHL debut with the Bears on February 27th. That night, Dima registered an assist, spent time on the power play, and had a first period so solid that Tim Leone called it “the best first 20 minutes from a 19-year-old D I’ve ever seen in this league.”

Orlov went on to total nine points in the remaining 19 games of the AHL regular season, and he experienced his first ever AHL playoff series, a 4-2 series loss to the Charlotte Checkers.

The six-foot Novokuznetsk native is now back in DC, participating in his first ever NHL Training Camp. I caught up with Hershey Bears Head Coach Mark French — the same man who guided the Bears to an AHL record 60 wins and the team’s eleventh Calder Cup in 2010 — and asked him about Orlov’s rookie season, what he needs to improve to make the NHL, and if Dima has the potential to be a 20-goal scorer in the NHL.

Ian Oland: How do you think Orlov did in Rookie Camp, in particular, the game against the Flyers?

Mark French: He played well. I think there were some areas of his game that we wanted to see improved, and we saw it steadily through camp, and I think it was a culmination in the game. I thought he was a difference-maker in the game. His strengths were his strengths in that game. He was an offensive threat virtually every time he was on the ice.

Ian Oland: What are the things that he needs to improve on to become a star in the NHL?

Mark French: I think we’ve seen the game against the Flyers. The Rookie game was a testament to the fact that he’s a very good player in his age level. I think he needs to do it consistently against men. Last year he started in the KHL and then he came and finished the year in Hershey. Things he gets away with at the junior level against junior age kids he won’t be able to get away with defensively at the NHL level: positioning and discipline. Defensive positioning is so much more important when you get to that level. He’ll need to refine his game and polish his game in those areas.

Ian Oland: What were your initial impressions of Dmitry in his first game with the Bears last year and the progression he showed even in that sixty minutes of play.

Mark French: I think everybody was taken aback — the impact that he immediately had at the American League level. I think the thing that struck me was that he was such a difference-maker. His top-end skill was immediately noticeable.

Ian Oland: Orlov got a lot of praise from the media after that game. Tim Leone was particularly impressed as well.

Mark French: I think those evaluations needed to be tempered a little bit. John Carlson was a pretty good young player that we had in Hershey as well. I think Dmitry’s got a lot of upside. What I really like about him that he has similar to John is he has a real swagger [on the ice]. They both don’t get intimidated by a situation. They both seem to rise to the occasion more than be intimidated by it. I think that’ll make him a very good hockey player.

Ian Oland: This year you guys are without Dmitry Krugyshev who served as a translator last year. How have you been communicating with him?

Mark French: It’s interesting. We obviously used Dmitry Krugyshev as a crutch last year. It was a huge asset for us to have. I think through training camp now, we have Galiev doing a lot of it. Once we get him to Hershey – well, if he ends up in Hershey – without that crutch of another Russian player it’s twofold. We’d love to have another Russian player there to help him out – but I think to go “cold turkey” on it and come to Hershey and not have anybody, I think it’ll force him to get a leg up on the English language a little bit quicker. I think it’ll be a good thing. We’ve seen a difference here already. He’s working with a tutor – an English tutor – which I think is very important. I think that’s the biggest thing. Once he can bridge that gap and he’s forced out on his own, we’ll see pretty big strides.

Ian Oland: If you’re lucky enough to have Dmitry in Hershey this year, do you have any particular player in mind to pair him with?

Mark French: That’s a great question. I think it is important. As much as we can coach from the bench, I think – especially for defensemen – to have a real good solid partner to talk to is really important to their development. To answer your question: no, we don’t. But we’d probably look to a veteran that would be able to shed some experience on the guy. Somebody who’s composed, a guy who can work with a young player real well.

Ian Oland: Do you think it’s possible that Dmitry Orlov could go over that 20-goal plateau someday in the NHL, maybe approach that 30-goal mark and have a year like Mike Green had a few years ago?

Mark French: Yeah. He’s got very, very good offensive instincts. And he’s got a willingness to take those risks. I think we’ve got to temper [our expectations]. As much as we want his game to improve defensively, we know he’s going to be defined by his offensive game. I think he’s got a lot of similarities to some very good offensive defensemen. He’s got an unbelievable skill set.

A little later today, we’ll be posting a companion piece to this post, where Dmitry Orlov responds and expands upon what Coach French said here.

Photo credit: Chris Gordon

A few weeks ago, Dmitry Orlov completed his third Capitals Development Camp, flying back to his hometown of Novokuznetsk immediately after its completion. The 20-year-old Orlov will continue to train in Russia until heading back to Washington in September for his first ever NHL training camp.

Three weeks ago, Sports.ru’s Andrey Osadchenko had a fascinating Q & A with Dima, with the Caps prospect going in-depth on his time in Hershey, who impressed him most at the AHL level, and his goals for the upcoming season. Orlov — who’s been involved in a few altercations during his time in the KHL — also revealed if anyone tried to fight him during his time with the Bears.

Below, RMNB’s Igor Kleyner translates the interview.

Dump and Chase

Andrey Osadchenko: You radically changed your surroundings during the last season. You played half a year for Kuznya, and then you went on to the AHL. Did it create additional complications for your adjustment process to the North American hockey?

Dmitry Orlov: Yes, it wasn’t easy, I needed some time. I did not know much English, so in the beginning I couldn’t even understand the coach. I knew a little bit, but mostly Kugryshev was helping me. Of course later on, toward the end of the season, I could — to a degree — communicate with the coach. We could discuss hockey issues. It turned out that the season for Novokuznetsk ended in February, it was too early. So my agent and I decided to move to America. In the end, I managed to play for two and a half more months and signed a contract with Washington.

Andrey Osadchenko: It was somewhat unusual to see you wearing not the usual number 9, but 27. Why did you pick that number?

Dmitry Orlov: I was given a choice between 27 and 34. I decided to go with 27. There were no other options, including number 9. Because that number belonged to someone else who played for Hershey in the past, and now the number is retired. So I was told:  ’Sorry, but there is no way.’

Andrey Osadchenko: When our goalies move across the ocean, they point out that they have to be more involved in the game because there are more shots on goal. Forwards talk about the difference in the way the attacking play develops and in the number of physical one-on-one battles. What was the biggest adjustment for you, as a defenseman?

Dmitry Orlov: For us, there is also a lot of physical confrontation along the boards, when the puck is dumped into the zone. You need to get to the puck as soon as possible, and then either pass to your partner, or bring the puck out of the zone by yourself. Meanwhile, you have to avoid being hit. I realized that defensemen there are getting hit a lot. In Russia very rarely do you see such physical game against a defenseman. But there, they are getting it even more than forwards.

Andrey Osadchenko: Is there anything in the North American style that you don’t like?

Dmitry Orlov: Not really. Because it was my own choice. I want to play in America. That is my life. How could I possibly not like it? I play the game, and I enjoy it. Certain things are hard, but there is nothing you can do about it.

Andrey Osadchenko: A lot of our players aren’t very appreciative of the great number of fights in the AHL.

Dmitry Orlov: Actually, I wouldn’t say there are that many fights. And about the AHL, the talk is that it’s such a meat grinder, they almost kill there. So, I played there. Yes, there is a lot of hard hitting. Yes, there is fighting. But most of them are between the fighters. I feel all right about fighting. If you can fight – fight. If you can’t – play hockey.

Not afraid to mix it up: Orlov (#9 in white) gets in a fight with Alexander Aksenenko in a January 10, 2010 KHL match against Amur.

Andrey Osadchenko: Has anybody challenged you to a fight yet?

Dmitry Orlov: No, I have not had to fight yet. I am not a fighter, I am trying to play hockey. But if a situation comes up, of course I may have to get into a fight. It’s not that big of a deal. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself or your partner.

Andrey Osadchenko: In Russia, the North American style is often disparaged as “dump and chase”. Do you agree with that?

Dmitry Orlov: To a degree, yes. There is plenty of dump and chase, but there is also normal hockey. The third and fourth lines mostly just dump and chase. But the first two lines try to be creative. The guys who play on the first and second lines know how to play. I think that is how the game is played everywhere now. Even in Russia. The third and fourth lines are mostly physical, and the top two are more oriented toward creativity and power play.

Rare Interview

Andrey Osadchenko: You came to the AHL with about twenty games to go in the regular season, but still managed to get a micro-injury even in such short period of time. Was it just an unfortunate accident or something else?

Dmitry Orlov: It was just a groin pull. I wasn’t hit, there was no contact. After the game the coaches came to me and told me – if you need to, you better rest it. There was only one or two games left.

Andrey Osadchenko: Have you ever heard any instructions from the coaches that you did not fully agreed with?

Dmitry Orlov: No. Hershey plays the same system as Washington – a carbon copy. We played all right, and the coaching instructions were fine.

Andrey Osadchenko: Are you happy with your stats in the regular season? Nine points in 19 games for a rookie defenseman — those are very decent numbers.

Dmitry Orlov: I would have liked something better. Besides, my plus-minus ended up being minus-seven, I think. At first everything was going well, and then something stopped working — we were constantly scored against during my shift. Although, during the playoffs I managed to rehabilitate myself. By then, my adjustment period was over. And my plus-minus was completely different.

Andrey Osadchenko: Did you keep the puck that you scored your first AHL goal with, or did you not think of it as an important milestone in your career.

Dmitry Orlov: I got the puck. As soon as I scored, our captain skated over, grabbed the puck and gave it to the team doctor. They put tape on it and wrote ‘The first AHL goal scored against such and such team.’ They gave it to me after the game. It’s at home now.

Andrey Osadchenko: In the NHL they usually put it in a pretty frame with a photo.

Dmitry Orlov: Oh, please! This is not the NHL, so… (Smiles)

Andrey Osadchenko: Did you feel a lot of attention from the media in America?

Dmitry Orlov: No. I only have had a couple of interviews so far. The first one – right after I came here. A Russian man (guess who?) came to me right after my first game for Hershey. And the second one, when I was in Washington. I couldn’t go on a road trip to Canada with the team because I did not have visa. I was at the Capitals game with Rangers, and another Russian reporter came to me. And that’s all.

Andrey Osadchenko: Some of our players say that they prefer to interact with the foreign press. Do you in any way differentiate the journalists by their nationality?

Dmitry Orlov: No. If they ask, why not answer. I don’t see any problem with that. It’s a normal situation. If they are interested, we should talk.

Golf – it’s interesting, but hard.

Andrey Osadchenko: Hershey is referred to as Chocolate Town because of the world famous chocolate factory. Have you tried the local sweets yet?

Dmitry Orlov: Haven’t had a chance. But you can smell the chocolate in the town.

Andrey Osadchenko: We often hear that in North America our players are almost mandated to consume a lot of protein. Is this also the case at Hershey?

Dmitry Orlov: Yes, the guys do drink protein shakes and various recovery drinks. But I don’t. I don’t need to gain weight. I am doing all right as far as that goes.

Andrey Osadchenko: Hershey is a tiny town. Were you bored on your days off?

Dmitry Orlov: Yes, it is a bit of a problem of course. We spent almost all of our spare time at home, taking naps during the day. Quite boring, there is nowhere to go. Yes, we go out to dinner, lunch, once we went to play golf, went to the movies. That’s where I study the language. When I come to a camp, or anywhere else, everybody tells me to watch movies in English – that it’s very useful. So that’s what I try to do, even during flights. It does help.

Andrey Osadchenko: Everybody says that it is difficult to understand Americans because they talk very fast.

Dmitry Orlov: I agree. I noticed that too. If they speak fast, I can’t tell the words apart, so I can’t understand what they say.

Andrey Osadchenko: There is another Russian playing for Hershey – Dmitry Kugryshev. Have you taught your teammates any Russian words yet?

Dmitry Orlov: (Laughs) Just ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye.’ Nothing else.

Andrey Osadchenko: And how do you like golf?

Dmitry Orlov: I like it. I played for the first time, but I would love to try again. As far as golf goes, Hershey is pretty good. The owner of the local golf course has a good relationship with the team president, so the players go there and play for free. Play as much as you wish, no one will say anything.

Andrey Osadchenko: Do hockey skills help with golf in any way?

Dmitry Orlov: The technique is completely different. Very difficult. But interesting.

“The WJC is won– the season is over”

Andrey Osadchenko: In Hershey, were they nagging you with questions about the scandal after the WJC final?

Dmitry Orlov: Everybody wanted to know. Everybody was asking. Everybody who had heard about it was inquiring, asking questions. What happened? How? The issue was drawing a lot of attention.

Andrey Osadchenko: What did you say?

Dmitry Orlov: I said that everything was normal and calm. We did not misbehave, did not do anything horrible. Just calmly boarded the flight. Perhaps, someone did not like something. I have no idea what. Honestly, I don’t even want to remember all that.

Andrey Osadchenko: Have the emotions from the victory calmed down, or do you still get goose bumps when you think about it?

Dmitry Orlov: Of course I think about it. Whenever I see the video – I get goose bumps. After the WJC, for a long time I could not calm down. There was such a feeling of euphoria, it was even difficult to go on the ice. I couldn’t even think about it. It felt like the end of the season. We won the world championship – and that’s it, the season is over. But that was not the case. Then I realized that I have to think about hockey, the season was still going on. I understood not to live in the past.

The task – to fight my way into Washington this year.

Andrey Osadchenko: Sheldon Souray played for Hershey last year. They say his shot is even harder than Chara’s. Did you notice?

Dmitry Orlov: Yes, we played as a pair. He really does have an awesome shot. There is a good reason he has played in the NHL. Someone to learn from.

Andrey Osadchenko: You also have a hard shot. Did you ask Souray for any pointers on how to improve your shot?

Dmitry Orlov: No. Some just have a gift for it. He is really-really big. And the shot really depends on that a lot.

Andrey Osadchenko: Among the AHL players, who made the biggest impression on you?

Dmitry Orlov: A defenseman from Connecticut named Wade Redden. Just like Souray, he plays for the farm-club, but his salary comes from the Rangers. He is a very good player. I don’t understand what he is doing in the AHL.

Andrey Osadchenko: Are you surprised that the Capitals decided not to sign Semyon Varlamov to a new contract?

Dmitry Orlov: Well… I think if they had made him a good offer, he would have stayed. But since they could not agree on something, trade. Which is normal. Now Semyon has signed with Colorado, and I wish him the best. Yes, I would like for Washington to have more Russian players, but that’s how it worked out. He is a good goalie. He was just unlucky with injuries.

Andrey Osadchenko: Having spent half a year in Canadian Juniors, Maxim Kitsyn returned to Metallurg. Why did you decide to follow a different path and coming back to the AHL.

Dmitry Orlov: He has a contract, but I was released.

Andrey Osadchenko: Last summer you said that you had two more years to go on your contract with Kuznya. Did you have to buy it out?

Dmitry Orlov: No, they let me go. They said: ‘We are giving you a chance. Go, prove yourself. If it doesn’t work out, come back to us. Our doors are always open for you.’

Andrey Osadchenko: Do you think you have a better chance of making it to the NHL via the AHL, rather than the KHL?

Dmitry Orlov: That’s what I decided. I want to test myself there. Washington has been calling for me for three years already. They told me, sorry, but we are not going to wait for long. It was not a spontaneous decision. I have wanted it for a long time. I asked for it, and they let me go, gave me my chance. Now I have to prove that it wasn’t all for naught. Whether I get to stay with Washington, or they send me back to the farm club, we’ll see after the camp.

Andrey Osadchenko: There is a great deal of competition in Washington now for the roster spots on defense. Are you afraid?

Dmitry Orlov: What do I have to fear? If they send me back to the AHL, I’ll play there. I will be proving that I deserve to play in the NHL. I didn’t sign a three-year contract for nothing. I don’t give up. I will fight for it.

Andrey Osadchenko: Do you set a target for yourself as to when you need to make the main team?

Dmitry Orlov: Of course I do. I have my goals for the season, and I want to meet them. For example, to make it to Washington – this year. I will give my best effort to achieve that.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.

Photo credit: Ian Oland

In the Hershey Bears 4-3 win over the Albany Devils on Saturday night, teenage Caps prospect Dmitri Orlov impressed during his first game in North America. Not only did he register a point in his AHL debut, his first period of play was so solid that he even inspired the normally reserved Tim Leone to exclaim,”that’s the best first 20 minutes from a 19-year-old D I’ve ever seen in this league.”

For Caps fans who are frustrated with Washington’s once potent but now sputtering power play, Orlov’s accelerated development is nothing short of fantastic news. Hershey’s bench boss Mark French, encouraged by how much Dima seamlessly blended into Hershey’s lineup in the opening minutes, rode his hot hand using the Novokuznetsk, Russia native on the second power play unit later in the game. Orlov responded by unleashing several booming slap shots at Albany netminder Mike McKenna and eventually collected an assist on Steve Pinizzotto’s second period power play goal.

Speaking to the media after Monday’s trades, Capitals General Manager George McPhee had nothing but praise for Orlov: “We’re pretty high on this player. He’s a mobile puck moving defenseman,” McPhee said. “Really good on the power play… he’s got an edge to him. He can hit and play tough. And he really wants to be here.”

RMNB’s own Igor Kleyner caught up with Orlov after his first pro game Saturday to discuss the Bears, the AHL and yes, even Evgeny Kuznetsov’s wedding. Below the jump, we offer the translation of his conversation.

A. – Of course I am very glad our team won the game, and I even managed to get an assist, my first point here in the very first game. Everything went quite well for me. I am very glad I came here, absolutely no regrets. I also had a chance to spend three days in Washington, practiced with the team there. I have seen more than enough to motivate me to do my best to grow as a hockey player in order to eventually make it there. I think the next three months here will really help me to accomplish that, I will get a chance to improve my language skills, and to learn the system the team plays here, which is very similar to the one in Washington.

A. – Well, basically, I cannot say anything myself, but I understand some — not always, but sometimes I do. I get a lot of help from Dima Kugryshev. While I was in Washington, I met Sasha Semin, Ovechkin, Varlamov, they were helping me out while I was there.

A. – Well, not really, there is not that much talking going on the ice. If I misunderstand something — the coaches explain it later, they show it by drawing on the board, and if necessary, Dima helps out with translation.

A. – Yes, and I am very thankful to him for letting me stay with him. It’s not that important — my game is what matters the most.

A. – Well I know there is not much here except for the chocolate factory, and the amusement park — but I came here with one objective in mind — to play hockey. I have a dream — to play for the team in Washington.

A. – It was normal, in fact, I was pleasantly surprised, it was even better than normal. Everybody was smiling, helping me, even making fun of me a bit — but it was all perfectly normal. I really like it here, both in Washington and Hershey as well.

Q. – At the press conference after the game, the coach was asked about your performance today [Ed. note: at the 1:05 mark]. He gave you a very positive assessment, especially complimenting your good hockey sense.

A. – Well, I’ll say thank you to the coach, and I will try my best to make sure that he would always think so. [Ed. note: You can tell that Dima was caught off guard by French's compliment and was really honored by what he said.]

A. – Yes, that’s true…

Q. – And in the past you also mentioned that you try to model your game after Kirill Koltsov. Are there any current NHL players you like and look up to?

A. – There are lots of good players, and everybody has different strengths. I never really had one favorite player, but I try to watch what other players do, and maybe sometimes try to replicate if I see something I really like.

A. – Yes. My brother is a rugby player, and my father was one as well. I played rugby in summertime in parallel with hockey for a while. It really helped me to develop physically when I was going to rugby camps and played in tournaments. I think it was very helpful. Rugby is a very physical sport, just like hockey, so it really helped me develop useful skills.

A. – Well, I know he is getting married, but he has not invited me yet! [laughing]

Q. – But if the wedding is in early summer — you may not be able to make it if you are still in playoffs…

A. – I need to give him a call…

A. – Yes, I would love for that to happen. And I am hoping to make it to Sochi [Ed. note: The 2014 Winter Olympic Games]… there are dreams and goals, and I will be doing my best trying to achieve them.

A. – Thank you.

All photos by Kyle M. of our Hershey Blog, Sweetest Hockey On Earth

Semyon Varlamov returned to the U.S. on August 1st, a full month and a half before training camp began. Varly’s intention was to get his body in optimal shape for the upcoming season after losing several months to a groin injury last year.  Success would be three-fold: avoid injury, become Washington’s number-one goaltender, and get better acquainted with Caps fans.

Despite tough training work, a commendable effort, and some true blogging prowess, the first two months of the season have been a complete disaster for Semyon (except for maybe that awesome Caps Convention commercial – CLICK ON ME!!!).

Sometime in the middle of training camp, Varly succumbed to #brittlegroin,  the exact same injury that lost him a big chunk of last year and has sustained our joke quota for too long. Undaunted, Varly quietly rehabbed his injury behind-the-scenes with the Caps training staff and spent the first three weeks of the regular season on IR. On October 19th, Semyon saw his first action of the year in relief of Michal Neuvirth, who had a touch of the flu. In 45 minutes of play, Varly stopped 13 of 14 shots in a valiant 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. Varly started the next game with the Bruins, in which he and the Caps were taken to the woodshed. Next thing we know, Varly has re-injured his man region.

After a few weeks of recovery, the Capitals finally assigned Semyon Varlamov to Hershey for a rehab start. During Thursday’s hour-long practice, Mark French ruled him out of Friday night’s game and Varly debuted a brand-new goalie mask.

When ABC27′s Gregg Mace (F.O.T.B.) caught up with the young Russian netminder, he asked about the injury:

Yeah of course it’s pretty bad for goalies, because I wanna play every game, I wanna play a lot. If i have an injury, I’m not playing. So, I work out my body a lot in summer time, so… I think it’s gonna be a better… everything is gonna be better.

[laughs, nods]

Gregg was also nice enough to share with RMNB some of the backstory behind his conversation with the young Russian netminder:

This was the first time I’ve interviewed Varly and was his first full tv interview in English. When I approached him, he seemed more than willing to do the interview after practice, without a translator, but let me know that his English might not be that good. Well, not only was his English very GOOD, but he had some great answers to our questions. Afterwards, I told Bears trainer Dan “Beaker” Stuck what a great job Varly had done. He brought Varly over to me and I let him know as well. He asked for a copy and we’ll give him a DVD of the interview so he can show his family what great progress he’s made with his English. For those of us in Hershey, it’s great to have him back, even if it’s just for a few games. He’s a charming young man.

Thanks to Gregg Mace from ABC27 for this interview with Varly.

Bieber-Mania hits the Bears lockerroom.

After losing the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals at home, the Hershey Bears are now one win away from raising the Calder Cup for the eleventh time in club history, and in back-to-back years. Holy Schnikes!!

What stands in their way? A Texas Stars team that is “trying to stay positive.” Yeah. (It’s like they finally realized who they were playing against.)

But despite Hershey’s 3 game sweep of Texas at Cedar Park Center, the Stars can still draw confidence off Games 1 and 2 where they frustrated the AHL’s highest scoring team. Which Bears team will show up Monday for Game 6? The one that tried to play fancy, stick around the perimeter and let it’s emotions get the best of them, or the one that played simple, went hard to the net and kept its cool?

Today, Hershey held a 45-60 minute practice at Giant Center and Bears first line center Keith Aucoin hoped it was the latter:

“The main thing is we need to keep our heads into it. We know what we have to do, and we know we have to play the same. We kept it simple on the road, and we’ve got to make sure we play the same way and not be to cute. We can’t get too wrapped up into stuff. We’ve got to take care of business one period at a time, one shift at a time, and go from there.”

Chris Bourque: 'We've got a chance to clinch in front of our fans and it's an exciting thing.' (Photos by Kyle M.)

Meanwhile, it’s fair to say that the Bears were, uhhh, a bit loose after practice. Kyle observed a few of the guys playfully screaming and ribbing each other during interviews, and some players – who we dare not name – decided to blast Justin Bieber in the lockerroom while changing. Is this a sign of a team that got its swagger back?

Chris Bourque just thinks his teammates are giddy to finish what they started:

“I think the guys are excited for tomorrow night. We’ve got a chance to clinch in front of our fans and it’s an exciting thing. We want to stay up-beat and positive and everybody is looking forward to tomorrow.”

Awesome. Well since we’re in a giving mood, here are a few other Hershey-related tidbits to get you by until tomorrow’s night game.

I. History Could Be Made

If the Bears manage to win tomorrow or Wednesday night, Hershey will be the first team in AHL History to lose their first two home games of the Calder Cup Finals and come back and win the series. But let’s revel in the past shall we? Thanks to youtube user puckgodz, we can relive Alexandre Giroux’s epic Game 5 OT winner which is masterfully called by John Walton.

II. Fan Painted Shirts

King Karl, you're loved. Make sure to seek out Christine who will be wearing this homemade shirt to Game 6 at Giant Center.

Friend of the blog, Christine B. (who some of you may know as itsabeta on twitter), is going all out for Game 6. Not only will she be making the drive from DC, she will be wearing this sweet shirt she painted herself. Christine explains the inspiration below:

Why did I make the shirt? Well, I just made a pact with myself that if the Bears won game 5 then I would do something special for Game 6. So I decided to make myself a homemade “King Karl” shirt. I just wanted to do something fun for the finals and Karl Alzner is my favorite Bear (though Braden Holtby is a close second). The response I’ve gotten thus far has been pretty fantastic. I might have to make a few more! Though hopefully with a 27… and in red. I’ll be wearing the shirt tailgating tomorrow, so if any of you see me, please come say hi and shout a loud “let’s go Bears!!!” at me!

III. Japers’ Rink Discusses Gordo’s Take

ABC27's Gregg Mace interviews Andrew Gordon

Japers’s Rink contributor Your Nation’s Capital wrote about our collaboration with Andrew Gordon during this year’s Calder Cup Finals and discusses the narrative that has unfolded throughout his posts. It’s a great read.

Check it out here.

Well, don’t forget that tomorrow night’s game 6 will be shown on ABC27′s digital channel 27.2, Comcast 246, Verizon 461, CSN Mid-Atlantic, and the NHL Network. We’ll see you on Twitter with all our funny musings at 7pm tomorrow night. I’ll be at Peter’s house in Frederick. Should be fun! (The last time I was there THIS happened.)

Above: Chris Bourque skies in the air to keep the puck on his stick. Top: Bourque and Andrew Gordon celebrate the GWG. (Photos by Chris Knight, The Patriot-News)

After an absolutely dreadful start which saw the Bears take a 3-1 deficit into the first intermission, even the most optimistic of Bears fans would have thought that the chances of Hershey coming back in this series were slim. But Head Coach Mark French showed confidence in his players and made the necessary adjustments. He allowed Michal Neuvirth to return in net for the second period, despite witnessing last year’s playoff MVP flub a clearing attempt on a first-period powerplay. Neuvy’s whiff led to Texas’s second goal of the night, an unassisted short-handed goal by Francis Wathier. French then subtlety tinkered with his forward combinations promoting Chris Bourque to the top line and dropping the 2008-09 AHL MVP, Alexandre Giroux, to the second. It paid immediate dividends.

Hershey went on to score five unanswered goals, punctuated by two third period tallies by Andrew Gordon which included the eventual game-winning goal. The Hershey Bears win 6-3. The high-octane offense has returned!

• Tonight marked Hershey’s 9th game in 39 days. Maybe the rust is starting to come off? (Special thanks to fan of the blog Emily Bennett for pointing this out to me via email.)
• I swear Bears’ third-line center, Kyle Wilson, must love NHL10 like I do. He scored both of his goals tonight, Hershey’s 1st and 2nd of the night, via one timers from odd areas in the offensive zone.
• Not to be outdone, Mathieu Perreault had a pair of tallies, and both Keith Aucoin and Chris Bourque had two assists.
• Andrew Gordon’s game-winning goal tonight was a perfect example of why he is such an invaluable player to this club. Gordo set himself in front of the net, and after multiple failed whacks at a loose puck, finally connected on his backhand to give Hershey it’s first lead of the game. John Walton said of the goal, “That is paying the price to win.” While Gregg Mace responded, “Andrew Gordon is one of the heart and soul guys on the Bears.” We agree. We totally agree.
• After giving up 3 tough goals on 11 shots in the first period, Neuvy responded in the clutch by stopping the Stars next 19 shots on goal. He finished with 27 saves on the night and deserves a lot of credit for Hershey’s comeback tonight.
• Patrick Wellar deserves props for his penalty killing tonight. At one point during the second period, I thought I was watching Rod Langway incarnate on the ice as he delivered hit after crunching hit. Wellar also received a Game Misconduct in the third period for his part in a brawl. Well done, Patrick!
• Once again, Steve Pinizzotto played a charged-up game which yielded multiple takeaways and great defense. And once again, Steve Pinizzotto took a completely unneeded penalty, this time a charging call in the third period.
• Caps Employee and reserve goaltender Brett Leonhardt noticed from the stands during a second period TV timeout that Stars Goalie Matt Climie was chirping at the Bears bench. Four goals later, he might have regretted that.

The Bears will now look to even the series at two Wednesday night at 8:30. Make sure to check back in the morning for another installment of Gordo’s Take, as Andrew Gordon will give his view on Game 3. See you then.

Hershey's Mathieu Perreault celebrates his Hat Trick Goal (Photo by: Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News) (Photo Above: RMNB Correspondent Kyle M)

First, it was his groin. Then after a rehab start on January 3rd with the Hershey Bears – a start in which Oskar Osala crashed into him while he was in net – it was his knee. And now after another long month on the shelf, Washington Capitals number one goaltender Semyon Varlamov is finally healthy again. Varly returned between the pipes today as the Hershey Bears took on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Giant Center.

Varlamov made 26 saves in a thrilling 5-4 Bears victory, but gave up three goals in the first period – two of which were softies and likely would have been stopped if he were at the top of his game. After the first period however, Varlamov settled in, much like the rest of his teammates. How bad was the first period though? The Bears got outshot 17-4.

Anyways, thanks to a hat track by Mathieu Perreault and a game winning goal by everyone’s-favorite-minor-league-defender Bryan Helmer, Hershey went on to win it’s 17th straight game at home, 5-4. At this point, the Bears have won 10 straight and 22 of 23 overall. That’s crazy.

When asked about Varlamov’s performance after today’s game, Bears Head Coach Mark French had this to say: “I thought [Varly] got better as the game wore on. I don’t know what the game plan is. As far as I know, his health throughout the game was fine.” (Quote via Tim Leone of the The Patriot-News)

So yes Caps fans, Semyon Varlamov is one step closer to returning to the Big Club and also another step closer to joining Team Russia as it’s Third Goalie on the Olympic Roster (THANKS A LOT LISA HILLARY). Varly had no setbacks in today’s gamel! Yes, everything seems to be right in the world once again. Special thanks to Kyle M. for the photos and the report.

Below the jump check out some more photos of Varlamov wearing his new mask!

Photos: