Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
A Tale of Two Cites was the theme last week. I never picked a single game right against the spread Thursday and Friday, going 0-3, but rebounded with three correct picks Saturday to split the week. David Temple, former NPHL linesman and avid NPHL fan, sets the lines.
Fort St. John at Dawson Creek [Thu., Dec. 13]
LINE: Dawson Creek by 1/2
It’s worst vs first in the West Division. Hard to believe it’s December and the teams meet for only the second of six games this season, but they play three times in the next 10 days. DC won 9-7 in FSJ on Nov. 16. DC is 7-1 for a reason. Of the 28 stats noted below, DC ranks in the top three in 24 categories. DC ranks second in PP, PK, shots on goal for, and shots on goals against. That will get you a lot of wins. Special teams may not decide this game as FSJ is the least penalized team in the league, DC is second. DC is 3-1 when allowing the first goal, FSJ is 1-3. A lead for both teams is crucial. Both teams are undefeated when leading after one period [FSJ is 2-0 and DC 3-0} and two periods {FSJ is 3-0 and DC 7-0}. Despite the gap in the standings, the stats are similar in goals for and against, thanks to a FSJ 17-2 win over HP. In the first period, FSJ is -3 and DC even, in the second period FSJ and DC are both +9, and in the third period FSJ is +2 and C +4. FSJ is sputtering but DC might be the place they start to turn things around. FSJ won the last two games at DC last season 7-1 and 6-3 and overall have won seven of the last eight in DC. Strangely, only two of those eight games were decided by two goals or less. Go with the hot team. DC to win and take the half-goal.
The Season Series
1. Fri., Nov. 16 – Dawson Creek 9 at Fort St. John 7
2. Thu., Dec. 13 – Fort St. John at Dawson Creek
3. Thu., Dec. 30 – Dawson Creek at Fort St. John
4. Sat., Dec. 22 – Fort St. John at Dawson Creek
5. Tue., Jan. 15 – Fort St. John at Dawson Creek
6. Wed., Jan. 30 – Dawson Creek at Fort St. John
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Fort St. John Dawson CreekRecord 4-4-0-0 [3-West] 7-1-0-0 [1-West]
Power Play 10-38, 26.32% [3] 13-38, 34.21% [2]
Penalty Kill 8-28, 71.43% [5] 8-33, 75.76% [2]
Shots For 39.88 per game [5] 43.75 per game [2]
Shots Vs 37.13 per game [4] 35.63 per game [2]
Shots Diff +22 [4] +65 [3]
PIM For 14.63 per game [1] 18.25 per game [2]
PIM Vs 19.88 per game [2] 22.13 per game [4]
PIM Diff +42 [2] +31 [4]
Scoring 1st 50.00% [T2] 50.00% [T2]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 3-1 [3] 4-0 [1]
Record Allow 1st Goal 1-3 [6] 3-1 [2]
Lead After 1 Period 2-0 {3] 3-0 [2]
Trail After 1 Period 1-3 [6] 1-1 [T2]
Lead After 2 Periods 3-0 [T4] 7-0 [1]
Trail After 2 Periods 0-3 [5] 0-1 [T3]
Goals Scored in 1st 1.38 per game [T5] 1.38 per game [T5]
Goals Scored in 2nd 2.13 per game [3] 2.38 per game [2]
Goals Scored in 3rd 2.25 per game [T2] 1.50 per game [T5]
Goals Allowed in 1st 1.75 per game [6] 1.38 per game [3]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 1.00 per game [1] 1.25 per game [3]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 2.00 per game [T3] 1.00 per game [1]
Goal Diff in 1 -3 [5] 0 [4]
Goal Diff in 2 +9 [2] +9 [T2]
Goal Diff in 3 +2 [3] +4 [2]
Come From Behind Wins 12.50% [6] 37.50% [2]
Blown Leads 12.50% [3] 0.00% [1]
Team Stick Fouls 2.50 PIM/Game [1] 3.63 PIM/Game [3]LAST WEEK’S RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 3-3
LAST WEEK’S RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 3-3
SEASON RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 22-10
SEASON RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 21-11