The Fifth Liners

The season is over, the playoffs are over, the draft is over, it's a sad day when there's no more Hockey. Life goes on, jobs, kids, and long suffering spouses all take center stage again. Alex is still rocking around Toronto and has, for inexplicable reasons, embraced baseball. We still have two months to wait until the return of the football season. The hockey season is even further away, over three months. Damn, July 1st brought not only Canada Day for our friends up north, but also Free Agency Day; the NHL equivalent of Black Friday. It's usually a belter. It's the day when GMs tasked with rebuilding their teams are able to snap up all of the superstars whose contracts came to an end at midday. Here's some of the most notable moves: Ryan Miller - Vancouver Canucks I'd imagine it's tough being a Canucks fan, the pressure to bag that elusive first Stanley Cup has seen lots of changes in BC recently. Starting at the back is never a bad idea and b...

After last nights 7-2 steamroller over the Colorado Avalanche , it would appear that the Chicago Blackhawks are the public's favourite to retain their Stanley Cup crown this year! If they do succeed in taking back to back titles, it will make them the first team to achieve this since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings and will already make them one of the big successes of this decade alone! After their up and down start to their title defense, the Red Express has got back on the rails and it ain't going to stop any time soon! But as always with winning, things are never straight forward because across from our brothers in Illinois are another team who are equally hungry and have a burning desire not to repeat last years play-off nightmare in the shape of the Pittsburgh Penguins ! Both sides have an equally strong case as they possess offensive units to die for- Chicago this season have been led by free scoring winger Patrick Kane, whose 21 goals have pushed them to the top of the...

The Pittsburgh Penguins won a titantic back and forth battle against the Toronto Maple Leafs last night for a 6-5 shootout win at the Consol Energy Center! From the very outset, things were far from straight foward and despite Chris Connor putting the Penguins ahead after 1.57 of the first period, James Van Riemsdyk soon made thing a tie game after he scored on the powerplay after 5 minutes. From there things got very tricky for the home team as Nazem Kadri gave Toronto the lead after 11 minutes. Less than 43 seconds into the next period- the Leafs hit Pittsburgh with a double blow as a crucial mistake by Marc-Andre Fleury as he attempted to pass the puck behind his net to Jayson Megna let in Van Riemsdyk for his second goal after only 13 seconds! Thirty seconds later Phil Kessel would score to put Toronto 4-1 in front and add to the home fans frustrations! Powerplay goals by Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang midway through help raise spirits- but when Tyler Bozak popped up to score...

The Pittsburgh Penguins ' injury woes continue, according the  Trib's sport page . James Neal is out indefinitely after his head to elbow interface with New York Rangers' Michael Del Zotto left him with concussion. This is in addition to Sidney Crosby who is still out with a broken jaw.  To shore up the main line, Evgeni Malkin and Jussi Jokinen have traded places, with the Finn taking the center position on the 2nd line. Malkin will partner Chris Kunitz and the Pens' other big trade Jarome Iginla up front.  The positive news is that both Crosby and Neal are doing well, but it is not currently known if either player will be back in time for the playoffs. 

After being utterly humilated at 'The Garden' on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins struck back with an important 2-1 win over New York Rangers at the Consol Energy Center. The first two periods remained scoreless with both Rangers goalie Lundqvist and Penguins' Fleury making several vital stops to get it at a tied game. But new signing Jussi Jokinen gave Pens fans a home debut to cherish as he struck with a goal early in the third period which would ironically turn out to be his only shot on goal the entire evening! But after would come a lengthy review to debate whether or not a Rangers shot had crossed the line- eventually the decision would be ruled no goal. Rangers fans didnt to wait long though as a mere three seconds after the decision went against them, Derek Stepan won the resulting face-off and set up Rick Nash to hammer home his 14th goal this season! Eventually after an action packed 3rd period/ Overtime this match was to be decided by a shootout and ...

Pittsburgh Penguin's latest big signing Jussi Jokinen will tonight step into injured Sidney Crosby's skates on the 1st line with Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis, the Pens' pregame report reveals. The Penguins' game tonight against the New York Rangers will be the third without captain Crosby. The Pens are also coming back off 2 losses in a row.  Is throwing Jokinen into the first line really the best idea? Sure he's a great forward but he's only been a Penguin for a couple of days and hasn't had time to bond properly with the two wide men. Surely it would make more sense to promote Evgeni Malkin up from the second line. Malkin is a natural center and had a tremendous run last season, Jokinen is a left winger.  Begs the question what is coach Bylsma planning playing the new man on the top line out of his natural position. The Pens are desperate to prove that they're more than just the Sidney Crosby Show and with no sign of the superstar's return...

Trade day continues and Pittsburgh have traded Jussi Jokinen with the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a conditional draft pick.  Helmets spoil his hair.  Marian Gaborik has moved from the New York Rangers to the Columbus Blue Jackets. This now means that Columbus have a chance to score some goals. Something that's currently lacking. The Rangers pick up Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore in exchange.  9/10 for synchronised skating.