Breaking Washington Capitals News: Olie Kolzig

Welcome Back Olie Kolzig!!!!!

This morning Olie Kolzig was named the new goal tending coach for the Washington Capitals!!!!

WAY TO GO OLIE THE GOALIE (he will always be #37 to me)!!!!

The Article below is from WashingtonCaps.com:

Capitals Promote Olie Kolzig to Head Goaltender Coach

Scott Murray named as Associate Goaltender Coach

Wednesday, 09.04.2013 / 8:47 AM / ARLINGTON, Va. –

The Washington Capitals have promoted Olie Kolzig to head goaltender coach and named Scott Murray as the associate goaltender coach, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

“Olie has a wealth of knowledge and experience and we believe with him spending the past two seasons as the associate goaltending coach he is ready to take the next step in his coaching career,” said McPhee. “We are also very pleased to welcome Scott Murray to the organization.”
Kolzig, 43, spent the past two seasons as the associate goaltending coach for the Capitals. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native played in 711 games as a Capital from 1989-90 through 2007-08. He currently owns nearly every all-time Capitals goaltending record, including games played, wins (301), shutouts (35) and minutes (41,259) and ranks fourth (minimum 3,000 minutes played) in goals-against average (2.70) and third in save percentage (.906). In terms of single-season records, Kolzig leads in games (73), minutes (4,371), wins (41) and is second (minimum 1,200 minutes) in goals-against average (2.20), save percentage (.920) and shutouts (6).
Kolzig was awarded the 2000 Vezina Trophy, awarded to the league’s top goalie, and was named the 2005-06 King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner (awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community). He was also named to two NHL All-Star teams (1998 and 2000) as a member of the Capitals.
A former Caps first-round draft pick (19th overall) in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Kolzig helped guide Washington to the Stanley Cup Final in 1998. During his final season with the Caps in 2007-08, Kolzig was teammates with several current Capitals, including captain Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green. The three-time German Olympian (1998, 2002 – sat out due to injury and 2006) appeared in 719 career NHL games with Washington and Tampa Bay before retiring in September 2009.

Murray joins the Capitals organization after spending the past five seasons as the goaltending coach for the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. In addition, he spent the past two years working with goaltenders at RHP Training Facility - a yearlong goaltending development program in Sudbury which he co-owns. Murray, 35, played hockey collegiately at Lake Superior State University. The St. Clements, Ontario, native also played for the San Angelo Saints (Central Hockey League) and Motor City Mechanics (United Hockey League) during his professional career.

My silent protest (has now ended), but I will be just glad to see hockey.

I do apologize for my absence.  I was rather upset with the fact that the NHL lockout went on as long as it did.    It was truly unnecessary and could have been handled a lot quicker had egos been checked a the door  MONTHS ago.  I even got unfriended and blocked by the Capitals owner Ted Leonsis by voicing my displeasure about something too.  I guess he cannot take a criticism even if it wasn't even about him.  It was about the choices made about the season tickets themselves.  *shaking my head...even more still*

On a calmer note,  back to the lovely time being off from hockey we had the holidays that went well and all of the family in town is well and happy.  Those out of town are doing good as well and are very much missed this time of year.

Finally on January 19th the hockey gods answered our prayers and brought us back HOCKEY!!!!

The Capitals first HOME game was LAST night Tuesday February 22, vs the Winnepeg Jets.  ummmmm

yeah....they lost.  But to be perfectly honest, I really didn't care.  I was just glad to see hockey.

Granted it was sad that people actually "Boo"-ed the team last night was not a good thing.  But those must be the ones who are not used to this team usually starting out this way.  But I'll say it again.  I was just glad to  see hockey.  

With all that happened with the owners and players is between them and I'm sure we will pay for it again as long as Bettman is commissioner.  How many more times must this happen before people actually see this pattern to the problem? 

On a positive note I will end with this; 

I woke up happy this morning about this fact:  HOCKEY is really BACK (atleast for me). I missed it.

A few opinions on a few of the NHL playoff series'

Well the 2012 NHL playoffs have arrived in usual style, with certainly a nail biting end of the regular season for it's line ups.  Down to the last games played.

The Flyers/Pens series has been full of OLD TIME HOCKEY for sure. More like you have gone to a fight and a hockey game broke out.  Dang.  But don't for get the ever favorite douchey things that we expect from the player(s) we love to HATE.  None of us are surprised at all.  I laughed so hard by the end of the game with 10 players were left on one bench and 9 players on the other.  Makes me wonder that if the game went on for longer....would it have eventually been just 5 on 5?  Hahaha.

Not much caught my eye on the Rangers/Senators series, but I wish the best to the Rangers.

The series I've been completely interested in is the Caps/Bruins series.  I really think this is going to end up being a 7 game series.  Back and forth and back again.  It's gonna probably give all Caps/Bruins fans heart palpitations or breathing problems (which ever strikes first).  But who doesn't love GREAT hockey.  It has been very nice to watch to the point where you don't dare leave your seat because you would miss something.

Let's Go Caps!!

I hope if you are a hockey fan that you at least get to watch some of this really good playoff hockey.  True I have not mentioned the other matchups (I do apologize) but for some I simply cannot stay up that late.  I need my sleep.

Speaking of sleep...I'm going now.  Because i'm tired and the Caps just lost Game 3 :-(
Game 4 is on Thursday and I can't wait to go.

Who are you cheering for (or who are you hoping will lose, but at the same time don't want to root for the other team)??  Do tell.