Rookie Camp: Day 3

More Rookie Camp MADNESS!!! Can you feel the excitement? It's impossible to put it into words, so feast your eyes on the multicolored, nameless jerseyed thrill ride that was Rookie Camp: Day 3.

Check out my rookie camp galleries for more exciting stuff:

Day 1
Day 3

Oh, and check out Kevin Hatcher Fan Club for a more detailed recap of today's events, including a fabulous Olie story from the Caps practice earlier today that I just can't put into words...and Biff's continued belief that Dave Steckel is trying to kill him.

Read More...

Summary only...

Teeing Off for a Good Cause

The NHL continues to help Olie and his fellow Athletes Against Autism founders, Scott Mellanby and Byron Dafoe, shed some light on an often misunderstood disease with an article on AAA's recent golf tournament. The event, which included 35 athletes and 100 golfers (including Matt Pettinger and Brian Willsie) raised over $300,000 for the cause - and check out the picture of Olie's specially made mask that was auctioned off, featuring the new Caps' colors of course. Pretty sharp!


To learn more about the disease or to help them in their crusade to raise awareness visit the Athletes Against Autism site or AutismSpeaks.org.

Read More...

Summary only...

Godzilla Lives

February 15, 2004.

3 years, 1 month, and 3 days ago.

The time that has elapsed since Olie Kolzig's last shutout can be measured in far more than time. Players have come and gone - 17 players are no longer on the Caps roster, including 10 of the 11 point getters in the 4-0 victory over Chicago (Matt Pettinger had a goal...his 4th of the season). The lockout has changed the way the game has played and the combined age of the defensive corps here in DC is less than Chris Chelios' actual age. It's not that surprising that it has taken that long, given the circumstances. What is surprising is that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

When the Caps beat Chicago back in 2004 they were sitting in 14th place, on the outside looking in after trading away some veteran players (although more would follow). Today they sit in 14th place, on the outside looking in after trading away some veteran players (although the future looks considerably brighter).

Oh, and the goalie in net for the 'Hawks that night all those years ago? Craig Anderson. That would be the same Craig Anderson who allowed just the one Ovechkin tally last night en route to Kolzig's 34th career shutout.

Freaky, eh?

I missed the game last night but recorded it and watched it around midnight, and I'm glad I did. It wasn't a particularly pretty game, and it certainly wasn't a meaningful game. In fact, I admittedly watched most of it on fast-forward. But I got to see Ovechkin's beautiful goal off an equally beautiful pass from Brooks Laich...and I got to see Olie finally get rewarded for all his hard work all season long, and for all his hard work since February 15, 2004.

In the post-game interviews Olie said in his usual, humble way that getting the win was the most important thing and the shutout was just a bonus. I think I can speak for many Caps fans who have suffered through this season that the win in this case, while nice, was not the highlight. The highlight for us was seeing the big man get his just desserts. Everything else is just icing.

Congrats, Olie!

Read More...

Summary only...