The Fifth Liners

The time has come at last Tampa Bay Lightning fans! 2013 3rd overall draft pick Jonathan Drouin will at last make his anticipated NHL debut this week. This event has been a year in the making, but will this man live up to the hype? Last season Drouin was surprisingly sent back to his old team the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL after training camp. Clearly Tampa Bay wanted to ensure this was one gem that was thoroughly polished. This meant that this young man was the only top 6 pick that didn't go on to make an appearance in the NHL. Despite the disappointment, Drouin went on to have another productive season with Halifax and finished with 29 goals and 108 points! Another blow would come when the 19 year old broke his thumb before training camp even began and it looked as if he would be confined to another year of obscurity when Lightning again sent him down. Drouin was sent to AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch for a conditioning assignment. Fans in Florida were again left in lim...

When Steven Stamkos suffered a broken leg back in November (coincidentally the same day I arrived in Toronto!) many people believed the Tampa Bay Lightning's season was done like the turkey. Well it appears that there is hope for the Sunshine State after all, because this season Tampa Bay look like a revitalised team and right they stand 4th in the Eastern Conference with 25 wins to their name! Last season, the 2004 Stanley Cup champions were derided by hockey fans as a spent force, and in fairness a lot of this criticism was justified as the Bolts limped home 14th overall in the East, only place up from their sister team, the Florida Panthers and the jokes about Florida hockey team increased dramatically! Guy Boucher for his efforts (or lack of efforts in this case) was given the chop by Steve Yzerman and replaced by Jon Cooper. Under the new leadership, Tampa Bay have looked a genuine threat offensively and although losing star man Stamkos has been a blow, the team had ralli...

Things are tight at the top of the Atlantic Division, as it stands there's only two points between the top three teams. The two Florida teams, while geographically close, are miles apart in the points race. The Tampa Bay Lightning are holding onto a slim lead at the top of the division, while the Florida Panthers are only avoiding only just avoiding the wooden spoon. From the Panthers' BB&T Centre to the Lightning's Tampa Bay Times Arena is only 245 miles by road, but based on this season's, performances so far, that distance might as well be 100,000 miles because it's difficult to see how the two teams are in the same league. What makes the difference in fortunes so unusual is that the two Florida teams' recent histories are freakishly similar. Both teams replaced their General Managers in 2010. Steve Yzerman coming into Tampa Bay and Dale Tallon taking the reigns at the Panthers. Further more, in 2013, both teams fired their Head Coaches. Guy ...

A Sidney Crosby Hat tricked helped the Pittsburgh Penguins come back from an embrassing defeat last night to the Panthers with an entertaining 5-4 win against Tampa Bay Lightning ! One of the most interesting offensive teams this- their trip to the Sunshine State has been a mixed one so far! Valtteri Filppula gave the Penguins a shock when he scored off a deflection from Killorn after 13 mins of the third period and again it looked like Pittsburgh were in for a tough night. But when Crosby tied the scores at 1-1 on a powerplay after only two minutes of the second period, the mood was temporarily lifted. But then Steven Stamkos pushed the home side in front again three minutes later. Brooks Orpik levelled the game at 2-2 with a tip in for Pittsburgh after 7 minutes to complete a stunning opening goal flurry! But again it was the Lightning who went ahead at the break when Teddy Purcell tipped Sami Salo 's shot into Fleury's net to make it 3-2 after 15.42. In the third...

Whilst enjoying my holiday time from work this week, Mike brought to my attention an interesting fact, it has now been nine years since a team from sunny Florida won a Stanley Cup and he posed an interesting question- can either Tampa Bay Lightning or the Florida Panthers could bring back glory to this state again next season- let's take a look at that theory! Tampa Bay has been the last team from this state to taste glory when in 2004 and engineered by the insane mastermind John Tortorella they beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 to clinch their first ever triumph. But since then it has been a rather dry desert since then, despite the scoring talents of Steven Stamkos the Lightning has seldom made the playoffs since then! This season has been no exception as they limped home in 4th place in the Southeast Division and a disappointing 14th overall in the Eastern Conference! Florida Panthers have also made an appearence in a Stanley Cup final when in 1996 they took on the might of Jo...

Washington Capitals ' super winger Alex Ovechkin has topped the goals chart. He scored in last night's 5-1 drumming of the Toronto Maple Leafs , thereby knocking Steven Stamkos off the top spot. Ovechkin now as 28 goals for the season.

After Sidney Crosby's horrific jaw injury suffered a few weeks ago, it cut short what was so far a stunning season and has officially ruled him out for the remainder of the year. Also it prevents him from being able to add another Hart Trophy is his already impressive collection! So with Sid the Kid out of the picture we must turn to another of the excellent candidates on show in the 2012/13 NHL Season. Ladels and Jellyspoons, here are your main contenders... Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay Lightning) The closest overall to Crosby points wise with 49 and the top overall goal scorer with 26 goals, Tampa Bay's renowned centre has proved to be a bright spot in their otherwise horrible season. With a goal scoring touch like this, we can only shake our heads in disbelief that his team doesnt follow his good example. Would be nice to Stamkos rewarded for his continually excellent play. Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) This man is by far the most talente...

Tampa Bay Lightning played their first game under new coach Jon Cooper last night and reminded the Bolts' faithful just what the team can do. The first period ended in stalemate as neither team found the net. Bolts' Gudas and Devils' Kostopoulos picked up major penalties for fighting. Devils opened the scoring in the second with Loktionov and Kostopoulos. Stamkos and Thompson drew the Bolts level at 2-2 before Greene's snap shot on the powerplay gave the Devils the lead again. Carter increased New Jersey's lead at the start of the third to 4-2. Stamkos' wrist shot with 13 minutes left gave the Bolts hope and Killorn's goal with 16 seconds left in regulation time sent the game to overtime. Overtime saw no goals but Purcell and Hedman scored the only penalty shots giving the Lightning the win. First Star - Stamkos Second Star - Greene Third Star - Killorn