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Caps stop Lightning 5-2 Kolzig stops 27 shots to record team-record 36th win
Posted: Monday March 20, 2000 02:15 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Olaf Kolzig has his 36th victory of the year and his name in Washington's record book. But don't assume he or any of the Capitals are content. Chris Simon and Sergei Gonchar each scored twice and Adam Oates added four assists Sunday as Washington rallied from a 2-0 first period deficit for a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kolzig, at 36-18-10, now has the most wins in a season by a Capitals goaltender. "It's nice when everything is said and done and your name is in the record books," he said. "We've played unbelievably well since Christmas. This is nice, but our ultimate goal is the Stanley Cup. If we continue this way, it will be worth it." Kolzig recorded 27 saves on his way to beating Jim Carey's 35 wins in 1995-96. Kolzig won 33 games in 1997-98, his first season as a starter, as the Capitals reached the Stanley Cup Finals. The Lightning burst ahead in the first period on goals by Todd Warriner and Jaroslav Svejkovsky, outshooting the Capitals 16-7 in the period. Warriner beat Kolzig on a breakaway for his 10th goal at 12:02, and Svejkovsky scored on the second of two point-blank shots for a 2-0 lead at 13:21.
"Our effort was better than decent, it was great," said Tampa Bay coach Steve Ludzik. "The difference between the two teams is that Kolzig came up with some huge saves. They are gunning for the Stanley Cup. I hope it works for them." Simon got the Capitals started with a goal at 16:34 of the first period, assisted by Oates and Glen Metropolit. He then gave Kolzig some breathing room with his second goal -- again helped by Metropolit and Oates -- for a 4-2 lead at 14:11 of the second. "Adam is the best at passing the puck and finding me open," Simon said. "That happened a couple of times tonight. And you have to give a lot of credit to Metro from getting the puck out. Without that first guy, there's no goal." Ulf Dahlen had tied the score 2-2 just 24 seconds into the second period on an assist from Steve Konowalchuk. Gonchar put Washington ahead 3-2 at 11:41 with assists from Oates and Simon. "In the second period, Oatsie put on a clinic," Capitals coach Ron Wilson said. "The passes and scoring opportunities he made were incredible." Simon and Oates also assisted on Gonchar's second goal, for the final score at 5:18 of the third period, as the Capitals -- 8-1-1 in their last 10 games -- completed a 5-0 season sweep of the Lightning. "[Oates] knows where I am," Simon said. "Adam doesn't even have to look anymore."
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