Alex Ovechkin scored two goals on March 12 as the Washington Capitals came from behind to beat Calgary 3-2. Ovechkin was spectacular, but the biggest star of the night was Olie Kolzig, who notched win No. 300 behind 26 saves.
Kolzig, who is the longest tenured Capital in the history of the organization, became the 23rd goaltender in NHL history to reach the 300-win milestone.
Kolzig is hitting his stride as the race for the playoffs tightens. He is 14-5-3 in his last 23 starts and since February he is 6-3-2 with a 2.18 goals against average and a .923 save percentage in 12 games.
He appeared in the 700th game of his career, all with the Washington Capitals, Feb. 10 against the New York Rangers. Kolzig is just the eighth player (and first goaltender) to play 700 games for the Capitals and ranks 20th all-time in NHL games played by a goalie. |
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Washington Capitals goalie Olie Kolzig, center, celebrates his 300th win with teammates, Donald Brashear, left, and Cristobal Huet after the Capitals' 3-2 victory over the Calgary, Wednesday, March 12, 2008, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) |
Kolzig is 14-5-3 in his last 23 starts and has been in net for 24 of the Capitals' 32 victories this season, his eighth 20-win season. Kolzig is 2-1-0 with a 1.52 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage in his last four games. In his last 11 he is 5-3-2, with 2.20 and .923 numbers.
NHL Career Wins
22. Mike Richter 301
23. Olie Kolzig 299
24. Ron Hextall 296
Change Of Fortunes?
Boston had Washington’s number through the 2006-07 season and into 2008, posting five victories in a row. Goaltender Tim Thomas was the lead Cap killer – until the two teams’ last meeting, a 10-2 Capitals rout at Verizon Center on Monday, March 3.
The Bruins have lost back-to-back games since that defeat, including an 8-2 setback against Toronto on March 6, while the Capitals followed it with a road win at Buffalo – another team that had owned Washington of late.
Whether Monday’s Caps win, which featured 15 players with at least a point and three multiple-goal scorers, signaled a sea change in the Boston-Washington series will be seen, at least in part, this afternoon at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, as the teams meet for the second time in six days.
Fiftysomething
Alex Ovechkin has six goals in his last three games, giving him a career-high 54 for the season. Ovechkin has 11 more goals than the second-leading goal scorer in the NHL (Ilya Kovalchuk, 43) and has 152 goals in his three-year career, more than any other player in that time.
Ovechkin, in 67 games, is the fastest player to reach 50 goals since Jaromir Jagr (59 games) and Alexander Mogilny (63rd game) in 1995-96. He has joined Peter Bondra and Dennis Maruk as the only Capitals with two 50-goal seasons, and joined Pavel Bure, Dany Heatley and Jaromir Jagr as the only players with two 50-goal seasons this decade |
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.Capitals Single-Season Goal Leaders
1. Dennis Maruk (1981-82) 60
2. Alex Ovechkin (2007-08) 54
3. Bob Carpenter (1984-85) 53
4. Alex Ovechkin (2005-06) 52
5. Peter Bondra (1997-98) 52
6. Peter Bondra (1995-96) 52
7. Mike Gartner (1984-85) 50
8. Dennis Maruk (1980-81) 50
Most Goals, Last Three Seasons
1. Alex Ovechkin 152
2. Ilya Kovalchuk 137
3. Dany Heatley 131
The Roaring 90s
Alex Ovechkin is the first Capital ever with three seasons of more than 90 points. He also boasts the three highest-scoring seasons by a Capital since 1984-85.
Capitals Single-Season Points Leaders
1. Dennis Maruk (1981-82) 136
2. Alex Ovechkin (2005-06) 106
3. Mike Gartner (1984-85) 102
4. Dennis Maruk (1980-81) 97
5. Bob Carpenter (1984-85) 95
6. Mike Gartner (1980-81) 94
7. Alex Ovechkin (2007-08) 92
8. Alex Ovechkin (2006-07) 92
9. Dennis Maruk (1978-79) 90
Nothing Worth Having Is Free
Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals, power-play goals, even-strength goals, game-winning goals (tied), home goals, road goals, first-period goals, second-period goals (tied) and third-period goals. He ranks tied for 12th in the league, however, in empty-net goals (2).
Starting Something
The Capitals have not allowed a first-period goal in their last six games, outscoring opponents 10-0 in the first in that time. Washington is 22-9-2 when scoring first.
Powerful Stuff
Washington is 13-for-42 with the man advantage in its last 11 games (31.0%), with only two of those 13 PPGs coming from the NHL leader in PPGs (Alex Ovechkin). Washington has risen from 24th in the NHL on the power play when Bruce Boudreau was hired to sixth in the league (through Thursday's games).
It’s Laich Magic
Brooks Laich, who didn’t have a two-goal game in his first 214 NHL games, has three in his last nine outings, including the first two Capitals goals against Atlanta on March 14. Laich has 10 goals and 12 points in the last 12 games, and now ranks third on the team with 19 goals – one shy of the 20-goal plateau.
Laich entered this season with 15 goals in 151 career NHL games. Laich, who has scored a number of goals planted in front of the net on the power play, has a simple explanation for his recent success: "If you want money, go to the bank. If you want bread, go to the bakery. If you want goals, go to the net." |
