Friday at Kettler

The Caps went from zero to 90 mph in a span of two days, going directly from a 17-day Olympic break to winning games against conference foes on back-to-back nights.

It may not be exactly fair to say “zero to 90,” since the Caps — most of them, anyway — endured a half-dozen strenuous practices leading up to the back-to-back tilts. Friday’s practice session was shorter than the six that took place last week, but it gave the three newest Caps a chance to pick up some of the elements of coach Bruce Boudreau’s system. It also gave several of the team’s workhorses an opportunity to take the day off to rest their battered bodies.

Newcomers Scott Walker, Eric Belanger and Joe Corvo also got to engage in their first “Juice Boy” battle and get their head shots taken in Caps’ red for in-arena purposes.

Game two of Washington’s five-game homestand brings the New York Rangers to town on Saturday. It sounds as though Jose Theodore (11-0-2 in his last 13 appearances) will be between the pipes for that one. Semyon Varlamov allowed four goals in Thursday’s 5-4 win over the Lightning to earn his first victory since Dec. 7. Although he has allowed 10 goals in two starts since returning to the active roster, I though he looked quicker and sharper in the cage last night. Two of the goals he allowed came on the power play and he made some key stops late in a close game to preserve the victory.

There is no indication yet as to which players will be in and out of the lineup for Saturday’s tilt, but we’ll be able to solve that puzzle in the morning. More then.