On a roll
Kolzig at top form for Wings, and it's a good thing
Posted: Saturday June 06, 1998 02:18 PM
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Covering the net: Kolzig has been a brick wall in the playoffs, allowing only 31 goals in 17 games (AP) |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Olaf Kolzig usually
plays better when he faces a barrage of shots. That's a good thing for the
Washington Capitals,
because Olie the Goalie can expect to be a busy man in the Stanley Cup
finals.
Kolzig is the main reason why the Capitals are in the finals for the
first time in their 24-year existence. A backup just a year ago, Kolzig has
allowed only 31 goals in 17 playoff games thus far -- an impressive average
of just 1.82 goals per game.
But now he must face the Detroit Red Wings, who
have the top four point-scorers in the playoffs -- sharpshooters Steve Yzerman, Nicklas
Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov and
Tomas
Holmstrom.
Bring it on, boys.
Halfway through Game 6 of the Capitals-Buffalo series, the Sabres were
outshooting Washington 20-10. Capitals coach Ron Wilson wasn't worried; in
fact, he sort of liked the way things were going.
"I thought, `We're kind of comfortable playing these types of games where
we're struggling a little bit.' Olie's into it, he's seeing a lot of pucks
so he's comfortable," Wilson said. "The more action, the more he's into it
and he gets sharp."
Kolzig allowed only two goals in 66-plus minutes in Game 6, and
Washington won in overtime. Game 1 of the finals will be held Tuesday night
in Detroit.
The Capitals on many occasions in the past were victimized in the
playoffs by a hot goaltender, but this time Washington seems to have one on
its side. Kolzig, however, refused to accept the label.
"I never really believed I was the hot goaltender," he said. "I was a
confident goaltender. I thought the way I played in regular season carried
over into the postseason. People are going to call you what they want, but
my teammates believe in me and I believe in them, and that's all that
really matters."
Kolzig won't be able to beat the Red Wings by himself, although the
Capitals give him credit for lifting him past the Boston Bruins in the opening
round when Washington was badly outshot in virtually every game.
"We have to be ready," forward Joe Juneau said. "We
just have to keep playing better and better. Against Boston we weren't
playing our best hockey, and Olaf Kolzig kept us in the series. Against
Ottawa we played better, and against Buffalo we turned it up a notch."
Having worked so hard to advance to the finals for the first time, the
Capitals are in perfect position to suffer a huge letdown. But the players
know that winning the Stanley Cup is the only way this season can be
considered a complete success.
"We won our [conference] and now we have a chance to win the Stanley Cup.
We have to remember that we have a lot of work to do," forward Chris Simon said.
"We're not satisfied with being second. We want to be No. 1, and we know we
have to keep playing the same way."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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