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Bolts Let Down Kolzig In Return To Washington

The Associated Press

The Washington Capitals celebrate a goal by Tom Poti as Tampa Bay Lightning center Chris Gratton, left, looks on.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 11, 2008

WASHINGTON - Olie Kolzig was treated Monday like the homecoming king in high school who everybody wants to see at the 10-year reunion but winds up as the victim of a class-planned practical joke.

In this case, it had only been seven months since the Lightning goaltender suited up for the Washington Capitals, but his ex-teammates didn't exactly welcome him back with open arms. Washington beat Tampa Bay for the sixth consecutive time with a 4-2 victory at the Verizon Center.

And it wasn't so much that Kolzig's former teammates lit him up as much as his current teammates let him down.

"If I'm those guys I can't look Olie in the face," Lightning coach Barry Melrose said. "This was probably the biggest game this guy has played in a couple of years and they show up and do that for him. I think all those guys should be hiding their eyes when they walk by Olie Kolzig tonight."

The Capitals jumped on Kolzig when defenseman Tom Poti scored on Washington's first shot of the game as he trailed the play down the left-wing side and beat Kolzig to the short side at 8:20 of the first. Defenseman Mike Green put the Capitals ahead 2-0 on their second shot of the game, taking a pass from Alex Ovechkin to score at 9:55. By the time Eric Fehr fired a one-timer from the far-left boards past Kolzig, the Capitals had three goals on seven shots and forced Tampa Bay to take a timeout.

The Lightning turned their game around in the second period, outshooting the Capitals 18-6 and getting on the board on the first of Gary Roberts' two goals, but it was too little, too late.

"This was not the start we wanted and we have to improve," Kolzig said. "Guys have to somehow start looking in the mirror and do whatever it takes to be ready when the puck drops and that's what it comes down to."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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