Olie Douses Flames and Other Non-Punny Thoughts

One down, 11 to go...

- First off, congratulations again to Olie Kolzig on his 300th win, an amazing feat. It's been a chaotic couple of months, a chaotic season, a chaotic career - but the way he's been playing lately and the way he played last night, it's not hard to see how he achieved 300 wins.

Photo courtesy of capitals.nhl.com
Whatever happens after this season, the incredible things he's accomplished and the impact he's had on the team, the organization and the community should never be overlooked. Truly a class act.

Be sure to swing by NHL.com to vote in their Olie-centric poll of the day!

- Another tremendous game by Alex Ovechkin kicks his season totals (and his career high totals) up to 56 goals and 97 points on the season. He's four away from his first 60 goal season, three points from his second 100+ point season, and five points from 300 on his career. I just don't think he has an off switch...

- Checking around the interwebs, the general sense is that the Caps were victimized by the refs in the first half of the game - and the Flames were victimized in the second half. There's probably a little truth to both arguments and more than a little bit of homerism in each as well, but it does beg the question: has the officiating been incredibly unbalanced this season or does it just seem that way?

- To the fair citizens in section 427 last night...I missed the memo, were the Penguins in town for another game? Maybe the Rangers? Seriously, never have I seen a fistfight erupt in the stands when a former Patrick Division rival wasn't in town, but this one was completely started by the Caps fans who insisted on pelting a few Flames fans with peanuts. Remember, kids - beer and stupidity don't mix.

- John Erskine apparently was hurt and played sparingly in the second half of the game. The Caps proceeded to come back from a 2-1 deficit to win it. Coincidence? I think not.

- Also not a coincidence - the fact that the Caps have allowed four goals in the last three games while down two men and both Dave Steckel and Quintin Laing were out of the lineup. It's great that the two of them have become such a solid fixture on the PK but the Caps have got to learn how to kill off a two-man advantage without them.

Or, you know, stop taking penalties when someone else is in the box...

- Here's a headline that is sure to take the buzz off any Leafs fan's happy dance this morning: Sundin Hurt. Reports are varied on whether he'll even miss any time, but you have to think losing him puts a serious dent in Toronto's playoff hopes. Of course, as the team currently tied with them in the race for 8th (and while we would never wish injury on anyone) it's hard not to see that as a positive at this point.

- I know the Canes are a good team, but why is no one able to beat them? There is no reason for that team, with the injuries they have and the senior citizen status most of their players hold, to be running roughshod over the entire league right now. We get two cracks at them in the coming weeks, better make them count.

- And finally, Quintin Laing has been nominated by the Washington chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association for the Bill Masterton trophy. Hard to argue with that choice - read about it here.