Liam O'Brien

Washington Capitals forward Liam O'Brien (87) and Boston Bruins forward Bobby Robins, top, fight during the first period of a preseason hockey game, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, in Washington. The Capitals won 5-4 in overtime. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

Unsigned free agent invitee Liam O'Brien is having an eye-opening training camp with the Washington Capitals that might land him with the Hershey Bears in 2014-15.

The forward scrapped his way to a Gordie Howe hat trick – goal, assist, fight – in Friday night's exhibition game against the Boston Bruins at Verizon Center.

That followed an exhibition performance against the Philadelphia Flyers in which he had a fight and a point.

Bears head coach Troy Mann said Saturday it is possible that O'Brien, who also attended Washington's July development camp, is playing his way into getting an AHL contract offer to play for Hershey this season.

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He's one of those guys who keeps getting better and better," Mann said.

Undrafted O'Brien, 20, has already played five seasons in the QMJHL and is eligible for a sixth, where he is ticketed to play for Sherbrooke. The 6-1, 205-pounder produced 20-15-35 and 148 penalty minutes in 68 games in 2013-14 for Rouyn-Noranda.

His pleasant surprise showing this preseason could provide an unexpected bonus for Hershey, particularly if first-rounder Andre Burakovsky makes the Caps and is subtracted from the Bears' depth chart.

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His position is center," Mann said. "He played wing yesterday.

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He could fit that third-, fourth-line center role. Center depth could be a problem if Burakovsky cracks the big club."

Last year, Nathan Walker , originally ticketed to return to the USHL, had a strong training camp with Washington as a free agent invitee and earned an AHL contract with Hershey for 2013-14.

NOTEBOOK

Goalie Phoenix Copley, assigned to Hershey by Washington on Friday, is scheduled to start Hershey's exhibition opener Wednesday night at Lehigh Valley.

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Their thoughts were to get Copley here early, get him situated here in Hershey," Mann said. "He can practice with our team Monday-Tuesday. He's going to play the full game Wednesday night."

With Brandon Anderson (hip) not 100 percent, Eddie Pasquale (hip) injured and Philipp Grubauer still with the Caps, Mann said Matt Tendler has been invited to Hershey's training camp. Former Neumann College goalie Tendler has previously been used as an emergency practice goalie in recent seasons.

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Anderson still can't take a full net," Mann said. "He can practice, but he's basically got to do a three-man rotation because of his hip."