The Washington Capitals (7-4-2-16, second in the Southeast Division) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (5-4-4-14, third in the Southeast Division) at 7:00 pm from Verizon Center.
Homecoming.
It has many connotations, but in this instance it means that the man that was the face of the Washington Capitals for 16 years returns to the place he called home for so long to face his former team and teammates for the first time wearing different colors.
Olaf Kolzig, Olie The Goalie, Godzilla himself, is scheduled to be in net tonight as his current squad, the Tampa Bay Lightning, try to gain two points at the top of the tight Southeast Division.
Kolzig is relegated to backup status now, having played in just three of Tampa Bay's first 13 games. His numbers are good (1-1-1, 2.67, .925), evidence to his assertion that he can still play this game and be a contributing factor to a team's success.
- B/R Ticket Guide
The way his tenure ended in DC surely still tastes bitter to him though, forgotten during the Capitals extremely impressive stretch run last year, then completely ignored in the seven game playoff series against Philadelphia.
What had to especially hurt was that media and fans all called for him to start later in the series due to the Flyers physical style of play in front of the net and the liberties they took with then-goalie Cristobal Huet—a goalie, noted here, who was discarded almost as quickly as Kolzig was once the season was over.
But no, Coach Bruce Boudreau stuck with Huet throughout the playoffs while Kolzig sat, preparing himself for the chance that never came while at the same time bracing himself for what he knew would be the end of his tenure in the only place he'd called home in his NHL career.
Boudreau needed no excuse—Huet had played his way into the situation. GM George McPhee acquired him at the trade deadline for the job, and he was stellar helping the Capitals reach the playoffs on the last day of the season and stretching the series with the Flyers to seven games. So playing the hot hand and Kolzig missing the opportunity to help his team in the playoffs is certainly defensible.
It remains, though, disappointing, both to the legions of fans that would chant his name after a big save, and to the man himself.
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about 1 month ago
that should be a great game! the return of Kolzig ... he played for so long with the Caps
from about 1 month ago
thanks Miah. yeah, i'm really looking forward to it tonight. the Caps plan a short video tribute in the first period to Kolzig, who won a Vezina and led them to a Stanley Cup finals. Kolzig, obviously, was one of my all-time favorites with the Caps, and his number 37 will definitely hang someday in the rafters along Yvon Labre, Ron Langway, Dale Hunter and Mike Gartner as all-time greats with the Washington Capitals.
about 1 month ago
that is one thing i appreciate with the great relationships teams keep with their long time players. Kolzig surely deserves the honour ...
from about 1 month ago
the game was entertaining tonight. Tampa Bay played horrendously in front of Kolzig in the first period. the Caps had a short tribute to him in the first tv time out. when he retires and comes back it will be much more elaborate. but he was greeted warmly by the fans with a standing O and chants of O-LIE, O-LIE! it was nice.
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