Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer

It was one of those weeks when my against the line picks were better than straight-up selections. Still, a sparkling 19-7 straight-up record this season and 18-8 against the line is very good. David Temple, former NPHL linesman and avid NPHL fan, sets the lines.

Fort St. John at Grande Prairie [Sat., Dec. 8]
LINE: Grande Prairie by 1 1/2

It’s already the fourth of six meetings this season. The home team has won all three meetings so far this year: FSJ 6-5 and 5-4 and GP 7-2. Penalties and PP chances could decide this one. GP has the top-ranked PK unit in the NPHL [80%] while FSJ’s PK is sixth [66.67%]. It’s a good thing FSJ ranks first in PIMs per game [only 13.57 PIMs per game] while GP is third at 19.75 PIMs per game. FSJ also ranks first in PIMs against per game at only 12.71 so they don’t get to practice the PP too much, while GP is third again at 17.38. GP also ranks first in shots on goal for [45.13] while FSJ is fifth [40.43], just less than five shots per game. Getting the lead is vital. Both teams have not lost when leading after one period: FSJ is 2-0 and GP 3-0. The same for the score after two periods when FSJ is 3-0 and GP 5-0. Slow starts plague both teams. FSJ is -2 in goals for and against in the first period while GP is +1. In the second, FSJ is a much better +9 while GP is +7, and GP ranks first in the NPHL with a +13 third period rating. Despite all of FSJ’s success in recent years, they have a tough time winning in GP. GP has now defeated FSJ five straight at home with two games by one goal and the other three games by at least three goals. GP has now won nine of the last 12 at home vs FSJ, and FSJ has only one regulation time win in GP since 2012 – a span of 12 games. Going with recent history, GP to win and cover.

The Season Series

1. Sat., Oct. 27 – Grande Prairie 5 at Fort St. John 6
2. Sat., Nov. 3 – Fort St. John 2 at Grande Prairie 7
3. Fri., Nov. 30 – Grande Prairie 4 at Fort St. John 5
4. Sat., Dec. 8 – Fort St. John at Grande Prairie
5. Thu., Jan. 10 – Grande Prairieat Fort St. John
6. Thu., Jan. 31 – Fort St. John at Grande Prairie

The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]

Category		Fort St. John		Grande Prairie

Record			4-3-0-0 [3-West] 	5-2-1-0 [2-West]

Power Play		10-31, 32.26% [3]	11-39, 28.21% [5]

Penalty Kill		8-24, 66.67% [6]	9-45, 80.00% [1]

Shots For		40.43 per game [5]	45.13 per game [1]

Shots Vs		36.00 per game [3]	37.00 per game [4]

Shots Diff		+31 [4]			+65 [2]

PIM For			13.57 per game [1]	19.75 per game [3]

PIM Vs			12.71 per game [1]	17.38 per game [3]

PIM Diff		-6 [3]			-19 [6]

Scoring 1st		57.14% [2]		37.50% [T6]

Record Scoring 1st Goal	3-1 [3]			3-0 [2]

Record Allow 1st Goal	1-2 [6]			2-3 [5]

Lead After 1 Period	2-0 {3]			3-0 [T1]

Trail After 1 Period	1-2 [6]			2-2 [T2]

Lead After 2 Periods	3-0 [T3]		5-0 [2]

Trail After 2 Periods	0-2 [5]			0-3 [6]

Goals Scored in 1st	1.57 per game [4]	1.50 per game [5]

Goals Scored in 2nd	2.43 per game [2]	2.00 per game [4]

Goals Scored in 3rd	2.57 per game [2]	2.88 per game [1]

Goals Allowed in 1st	1.86 per game [5]	1.38 per game [3]

Goals Allowed in 2nd	1.14 per game [2]	1.13 per game [1]

Goals Allowed in 3rd	2.00 per game [T3]	1.25 per game [2]

Goal Diff in 1		-2 [5]			+1 [3]

Goal Diff in 2		+9 [T1]			+7 [T3]

Goal Diff in 3		+4 [2]			+13 [1]

Team Stick Fouls	0.80 PIM/Game [1]	3.00 PIM/Game [3]
LAST WEEK’S RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 3-3

LAST WEEK’S RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 4-2

SEASON RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 19-7

SEASON RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 18-8