Bell’s Pair Leads A’s Over Flyers

Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer

Devin Bell’s second and third goals of the season lifted the Grande Prairie Athletics to a 6-3 win over the Fort St. John Flyers Jan. 10.
The game was tied 3-3 at the start of the third period before Bell scored the first of his two goals at 3:24. Braden Crone, who assisted on Bell’s goal, added a power play goal just over a minute later. Bell closed the period scoring with 4:15 left.

GP led 1-0 in the first period on a goal from Sheldon McArthur. Lien Miller Jeannotte’s power play goal tied the game but Andrew Buote restored GP’s lead 2-1.
In the second period, Ryan Forbes’ power play goal and Steven Fast gave FSJ a 3-2 lead.
However, Lyndin Lewis tied the game with a goal 55 seconds left in the second period.
With the win, GP [9-3-3-0] takes a seven-point lead over FSJ in the race for second in the West Division, and all but relegates FSJ to a last place finish. GP also pulls to within three points of idle DC, who have one game in hand.
It was the first time in five meetings between GP and FSJ this season the visiting club won a game. It was also only GP’s second win in their last nine trips to FSJ.

Athletics 6 at Flyers 3
Thursday, Jan. 10

First period
1. GP, Sheldon McArthur 3 (Lyndin Lewis, Sam Bosek) 2:22
2. FSJ, Lien Miller-Jeannotte 4 (Jeff Shipton, Reid Campbell) 5:40 (pp)
3. GP, Andrew Buote 3 (Sam Bosek) 7:56
Penalties: Devin Bell GP (tripping) 5:05, Darian Fay GP (elbowing) 18:52, Clayton Bahm FSJ (tripping) 19:27.
Second period
4. FSJ, Ryan Forbes 2 (Steven Fast, Reid Campbell) 5:31 (pp)
5. FSJ, Steven Fast 4 (Tanner LeSann, Ty Gullickson) 10:56
6. GP, Lyndin Lewis 1 (Mark Stojan, Sam Bosek) 19:05
Penalties: Devin Bell GP (goaltender interference) 5:14, Daylen Pearson FSJ (hooking) 14:06, GP bench minor (too many men, served by Joey Massingham) 16:18.
Third period
7. GP, Devin Bell 2 (Braden Crone, Kelvin Neustaeter) 3:24
8. GP, Braden Crone 10 (Parker Sharp, Andrew Buote) 4:46 (pp)
9. GP, Devin Bell 3 (Kelvin Neustaeter) 15:45
Penalties: Lien Miller-Jeannotte FSJ (hooking) 4:15, Sheldon McArthur GP (interference) 9:49, Reid Campbell FSJ (interference) 13:33, Tyrell Kipling GP and Jeff Shipton FSJ (roughing) 14:36, Tanner LeSann FSJ (roughing) 17:05.
Shots on goal:

Grande Prairie	17	 9	 7	-33
Fort St. John 11 10 9 -30
Goaltenders: Athletics, Dave Larson; Flyers, Ty Gullickson.

Power Plays: GP 1-5; FSJ 2-5.
Penalties in Minutes: GP 12; FSJ 12.