The Fifth Liners

Last season the Chicago Blackhawks as celebrated Dave Bolland's goal to seal the 2013 Stanley Cup against the Boston Bruins, you could be forgiven for thinking for thinking that the good times were only just getting started! This season the Blackhawks seemed to be suffering for a severe case of post cup winning hangover and after last night's 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, this once destructive Illnois crew seems have run out of petrol! But what has caused this team to decline so quickly? With the playoffs looming, Chicago currently lies 5th overall in the Western Conference, over 8 points drift of surprise leaders the St Louis Blues and they have racked up a whopping 15 losses so far! This is more than double the amount than during the 2012-13 regular season where they only recorded an incredible 7 losing games. Also their defence is leaking goals faster than the faulty pipe in my boiler at home and their goals against figure stands at 182 conceded! Compared to last se...

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...

Brent Seabrook was the overtime hero once again; as the Chicago Blackhawks came from behind in an exhilarating 6-5 win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in game 4 to level the series at 2-2! After Tuukka Rask ’s shutout in game 3 on Monday, the Blackhawks have come back strong. The Hawks began the first period strongly when Brandon Saad set up Seven Days in Hockey favourite Michal Handzus on a 2 on 1 after 7 minutes, but Saad became the enemy soon after as his giveaway led to a long range leveler on a Power Play by Rich Peverley . But the game burst into life in the second period when Chicago skipper Jonathan Toews scored a tip after 6 minutes to put them in front 2-1, this goal was Toews first goal since the Western final against the Red Wings and two minutes later the in-form Patrick Kane pushed them further ahead!   Milan Lucic however, put the Bruins back in the game when he scored a backhand rebound off a Zdeno Chara shot before Marcus Kruge...

Last night Rob Scuderi demonstrated why he's a badass defenceman to bring down a speeding Patrick Sharp. Click here to watch . Bone crunching stuff.

So the Western Conference Final kicked off tonight with the LA Kings heading to Chicago to defend the cup. First Period Chicago won the opening faceoff and initially dominated the first period. At the first commercial break, there'd been five shots, all of which on Jonathan Quick . Corey Crawford had very little to do so far. The Kings were getting the puck forward but had no end product. Kyle Clifford gave away the first powerplay of the series when he picked up a minor for a hand pass. Chicago's man advantage lasted 16 seconds when Andrew Shaw was boxed for interference. Neither team found the net during the short powerplays although Patrick Kane's wrister forced another save from Quick. Dustin Penner gave away a penalty for roughing after dragging Michal Handzus to the ice from behind after the Kings forced Crawford into his first save. The Blackhawks came close to scoring but Quick was on fire to save the Kings from going behind. Goal! In the 15th minute,...

Advantage Chicago Blackhawks . The Detroit Red Wings made their first trip to the United Center last night for the first game of the second round. Damien Brunner 's first period goal cancelled out Marian Hossa 's opener and that's how it stayed until eight minutes into the third period when Johnny Oduya and Marcus Kruger scored in quick succession to give the Blackhawks the lead. Patrick Sharp added a fourth with less than a minute to go. Final score 4-1. Nicklas Kronwall was unimpressed with his team's performance: " We know we're a much better team than this. [The] second and third periods [were] not nearly good enough. We know we're better than this and we have to find a way to get better for Game 2." - Geico's quote of the day. It wasn't all plain sailing for Chicago and a few desperate goal line scrambles and clearances were required to keep Detroit out. The boys from Michigan will rue the missed chances and opportunities. C...