DCHP-2

five hole five-hole, fivehole, 5-hole, 5 hole DCHP-2 (June 2016)

• n. — Hockey

  the space between a goalie's legs.

  Type: 5. Frequency — Five hole is a term used in hockey to describe the space between a goalie's legs. It is one of five spots that offensive players aim at when trying to score, the other spots being the four corners of the net (see Lennox 2008: 41). It is often used in the phrase through the five hole (see the 2015 quotation). Five hole is most frequently used in Canada (see Chart 1). Hockey's importance in Canada's social and historical development warrants the labelling of hockey terms as culturally significant (see CBC reference).

  See also: hockey  

  • The many spelling variants indicate that the term is most often used in speech.

  • 1985  ''He's been doing the same thing all series, going either for the glove side or the five hole.'' Sutter tried for the five hole, between the legs, but hit Fuhr's right pad. ''I hardly had to move,'' said Fuhr. 
  • 1989  "There was one goal he let in through the 5-hole (between his legs), but I can't really blame him for that. He was as solid as you could ask him to be. You need strong goaltending on the road and he gave it to us tonight." 
  • 1993  Los Angeles starter Robb Stauber gave up six goals and looked utterly inept on the fifth and sixth tallies, both going through his five-hole. 
  • 1999  FIVE HOLE: The hole between the goalie's legs. A goalie who lets a shot trickle between his legs lets one slip through the five hole. There are two stories of origin. One is that each of the four corners of the goal are numbered, with the spot between the goalie's legs the No. 5 spot. Explanation No. 2: "The number five in roman numerals is a V," said Stars' TV analyst Daryl Reaugh, a former NHL goalie. "If you take the V and turn it upside down, it looks like the spot between the goalie's legs." 
  • 2007  Morrison, an old University of Michigan teammate of Turco's, beat him stick side with a wrist shot. Turco slammed his stick on the ice in disgust after giving up that goal. He said he had a hunch Morrison would go fivehole. 
  • 2013  The play started with a nifty feed from Taylor Gardipy to Brandon Lee who ripped a wrist shot off the right pad of the sprawling Whitecourt goal keeper. Orrin picked up the rebound and with some quick hands slipped it through the 5 hole. 
  • 2015  Dave Williams fired a tiebreaking wrist shot through the fivehole of goaltender Pat Riggin at eight minutes and 17 seconds into the third period. Williams, who scored 17 goals in the regular season, beat Riggin from 20 feet after taking a Gary Lupul pass at the blue line and deking out Flames defenseman Charles Bourgeois for his second winning goal of the series.