Capitals Development Camp Day 4

After a well-deserved break, the Washington Capitals prospects and Free Agent invites returned to Kettler Capitals IcePlex on Capitals Development Camp Day 4 for the group's third scrimmage.

As always, the players split into two groups in the morning, one working on on-ice drills and the other working in the weight room, then in the afternoon returned to the Capitals rink to entertain the onlooking fans once again in scrimmage form.

Team White, boasting Filip Forsberg, Cam Schilling, Chandler Stephenson and Nathan Walker, took Game 1 by a 3-1 margin. Team Red, highlighted by Stanislav Galiev, Patrick Wey and Tom Wilson, won Game 2, 2-1.

They faced off at 3:00 PM.

Free agent invite Matt Bailey opened the scoring for the Red team, shoveling a cross-ice pass from David Vallorani through the pads of Brandon Anderson for a 1-0 lead. Gregory Miller made it 2-0 in close after a Brant Harris shot for his second goal of Camp. Best-player-ever Vallorani made it 3-0 in the second-period, snapping a feed from linemate TJ Syner over Anderson's outstretched arm for his second goal of Development Camp. David Civitarese cut the lead by a third after hooking Garrett Haar to win the puck and sneaking it past Russian newcomer Sergei Kostenko, left out to dry. Kostenko would then stop Filip Forsberg on a Penalty Shot, before Camden Wojtala made it 4-1 with a rebound in front. New goalies came in, Brooks Ostergard replacing Brandon Anderson for the White team and Scott Darling stepping in for Red. It wouldn't take long for Tom Wilson to make it 5-1 Red, converting with a nifty move on a Penalty Shot, before David Vallorani rounded out the scoring for Red with a top-shelf rip from the left goal-line. Michael Quinn ensured Filip Forsberg wouldn't leave his third-straight scrimmage pointless, converting on a pretty 3-on-1 with the Swede and Barry Almeida. Seventh-round pick Christian Djoos rounded out the scoring, jumping up in the rush and almost breaking the crossbar on a short-side wristshot past a screened Scott Darling.

Tempers flared after the final whistle, as Chandler Stephenson dropped the gloves to protect his teammates from the livid Max Iafrate, but it wouldn't matter. Red beat White 6-3.

Here are those that impressed:

Filip Forsberg - RW - The Swedish 11th-overall pick has had a relatively quiet week, but he was good today. He manufactured a couple of breakaways, won himself a penalty shot (only to be robbed by Kostenko), and put his silky stickhandling skills on display on more than one occasion. The 17-year-old is the best player and brightest prospect at Camp, and, while he perhaps hasn't impressed as much as Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov did in their first Development Camps, he was certainly stood out.

Sergei Kostenko - G - Yesterday, a hushed anticipation fell over Kettler as fans got to see 2012 seventh-rounder Sergei Kostenko, who arrived late from Russia after visa troubles, for the first time. He didn't disappoint. And he didn't disappoint in his first scrimmage, either. Kostenko, an athletic yet positionally and technically sound netminder, made a number of key saves to keep the Red team in front, only yielding a goal because of the referees' refusal to make calls. Kostenko is an exciting prospect, and he sure was exciting today.

David Vallorani - C - The UMass-Lowell senior, who totaled 29 points in 38 games in college hockey's best division, has been the star of Development Camp this year, and he was at his best today. An undersized but speedy player with all the skills to be the next Mathieu Perreault, Vallorani first set up a goal then scored two himself. He certainly is making a name for himself at Camp, and could well find himself signed to a contract come the end of the week.

Nathan Walker - RW - The undrafted Australian winger has been impressing at Camp so far this week, and for the second scrimmage in a row, he was one of the best players on the ice. Walker is quick, gritty, skilled, and has all the all-round game to make it at the next level. He has to reenter the draft next year, but the Caps could well look to pick him up.

The players return to the rink for another scrimmage at 9:45 AM tomorrow morning.