Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
Happy New Year to all! What a way to end the year! HP’s home-and-home sweep of GRIM sent me to an 0-2 record ATL. David Temple, former NPHL linesman and avid NPHL fan, sets the lines.
Dawson Creek at Grande Prairie [Thu., Jan. 3]
LINE: Grande Prairie by 1 1/2
It’s the third meeting of six this season with DC winning two of the first three, once in OT. Simply put, if DC wins and extends their first place lead to six points, it’s probably all over in the race for first in the West. Should GP win, and it’s game on!
DC dominates in the stats package. DC ranks first in PP and PK while GP is fifth and second. This could be a factor when considering penalties. DC only takes 16.17 PIMs per game [second lowest] while GP is the most penalized team in the NPHL at 27.50 PIMs per game. Taking that a step further, GP is a league worst -107 PIM overall while DC is fifth at +17 PIM. GP also takes more stick foul penalties than any team in the NPHL [5.17 PIMs per game]. DC also ranks first in shots on goal for, shots on goal against, and shots on goal for and against, but GP ranks second in all three categories. Both teams have scored first in seven of 12 games to rank first overall. GP might need to score first to have a chance. DC is 7-0 when scoring first, 5-0 when leading after one period, 10-0 when leading after two periods. GP is also 5-0 when leading after one period but only 5-2 when scoring first. DC has not blown a lead all season while GP has blown leads in 16.67% of its losses to rank fifth. It is interesting to note that DC ranks second on goals for and against in all three periods. GP gets stronger as the game proceeds; they are -2 goals in the first period, +4 in the second and a sparkling +21 in the third. For whatever reason, DC actually plays better vs GP in GP than at home. DC has won two straight in GP and three of the last four [all the wins were by the same 6-3 scores!]. GP has won 12 of the last 14 in DC. Expect plenty of goals. In the last 13 games between the clubs, each team has scored at least three goals in each game except twice {GP earlier this year and DC once.] Should we expect a close game? The stats say no. In GP, each of DC’s last five visits has been decided by at least three goals. DC’s sweep over FSJ before Christmas was impressive; GP has not played since Dec. 15. DC is a perfect 6-0 on the road while GP is 5-1 at home [the loss to DC]. I think DC gets the job done. DC to win and take the goals.
The season series
1. Thu., Nov. 8 – Grande Prairie 2 at Dawson Creek 3 (OT)
2. Thu., Nov. 29 – Grande Prairie 8 at Dawson Creek 5
3. Thu., Dec. 6 – Dawson Creek 6 at Grande Prairie 3
4. Thu., Jan. 3 – Dawson Creek at Grande Prairie
5. Thu., Jan. 17 – Dawson Creek at Grande Prairie
6. Thu., Jan. 24 – Grande Prairie at Dawson Creek
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Dawson Creek Grande PrairieRecord 10-2-0-0 [1-West] 7-3-2-0 [2-West]
Power Play 18-49, 36.73% [1] 13-60, 21.67% [5]
Penalty Kill 9-46, 80.43% [1] 16-74, 78.38% [2]
Shots For 45.17 per game [1] 45.00 per game [2]
Shots Vs 32.42 per game [1] 36.94 per game [2]
Shots Diff +153 [1] +97 [2]
PIM For 16.17 per game [2] 27.50 per game [6]
PIM Vs 17.58 per game [1] 18.92 per game [3]
PIM Diff +17 [5] -103 [7]
Scoring 1st 58.33% [T1] 58.33% [T1]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 7-0 [1] 5-2 [3]
Record Allow 1st Goal 3-2 [2] 2-3 [4]
Lead After 1 Period 5-0 {T1] 5-0 [T1]
Trail After 1 Period 1-2 [4] 2-3 [3]
Lead After 2 Periods 10-0 [1] 7-0 [2]
Trail After 2 Periods 0-2 [4] 0-5 [T5]
Goals Scored in 1st 1.67 per game [4] 1.58 per game [5]
Goals Scored in 2nd 2.67 per game [2] 1.67 per game [4]
Goals Scored in 3rd 1.83 per game [4] 2.75 per game [1]
Goals Allowed in 1st 1.15 per game [1] 1.42 per game [3]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 1.08 per game [2] 1.33 per game [4]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 1.00 per game [T1] 1.00 [T1]
Goal Diff in 1 +5 [2] -2 [3]
Goal Diff in 2 +19 [2] +4 [4]
Goal Diff in 3 +10 [2] +21 [1]
Come From Behind Wins 25.00% [3] 16.67% [5]
Blown Leads 00.00% [1] 16.67% [3]
Team Stick Fouls 3.42 PIM/Game [2] 5.17 PIM/Game [7]LAST WEEK’S RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 1-1
LAST WEEK’S RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 0-2
SEASON RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 30-17
SEASON RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 28-19