Typically, in this space I give you a description of the latest Lightning game, who scored, how it all went down, ect. ect. I'm not doing that for this one. Olaf Kolzig was wronged by the Tampa Bay Lightning players. In a disgraceful performance by his teammates, Olie the Goalie watched his team put on a clinic on how NOT to play hockey, falling 4-2 to the Washington Capitals.
The Bolts fell behind 3-0 with another "We don't give a shat" 1st period where they were outshot 11-6 while giving up goals to Tom Poti, Mike Green, and Eric Fehr. Kolzig actually played pretty well considering his defense left him out to dry time and time again.
Melrose must of have come after their butts again after the first as Tampa Bay came alive in the 2nd period, outshooting the Caps 18-6 and scoring a power play goal by Gary Roberts, who would score again in the 3rd to pull the Lightning within 4-2.
The damage was already done, though, as Tampa Bay continues to search for something that can't be traded for or improved upon- heart. Melrose isn't to blame for this, he's tried everything he can to get his hockey team to care about what's happening on the ice. Perhaps its too much change and not enough time to bond with their new teammates. Perhaps its the revolving door of trades and fantasy hockey style front office. Whatever the case, the Bolts make the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz look like Don Juan.
"If I'm those guys I can't look Olie in the face," Lightning coach Barry Melrose told the Tampa Tribune, "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."
There's been too many of these nights so far in 2008. I don't understand it. When you have world class players who have won the Stanley Cup on your squad - how does 90-yr-old Mark Recchi be your fastest player on the ice? How do you not care enough about your teammates, the crest on your chest, or your community to put that kind of effort out on the ice?
Unreal. Just unreal and until this team finds some testicular fortitude, some heart, something that shows they care - they aren't going anywhere this season.
I think John Tortorella, the unbearable brute that he was may havc been the right guy to be able to squeeze some type of effort from this group.
JC De La Torre is an author of Science Fiction/Fantasy and other realms of Speculative Fiction - check out his latest works at JC Delatorre.com
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