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.
Fort St. John at High Prairie [Sat., Jan. 5]
LINE: Fort St. John by 4 1/2
The teams conclude their two-game home-and-home series in a battle of the NPHL’s cellar-dwellars. Hard to believe the defending champs [FSJ] are at the bottom of their division after Christmas. FSJ blasted HP in the opener 17-2 so HP will look for a bit of revenge.
HP’s PP and PK units rank dead last but FSJ’s aren’t much better; their PP is sixth and PK fifth. Shots on goal are similar in rank but HP ranks sixth worst at -154 shots overall in their games while FSJ is ranked fifth but only -10 shots. Don’t expect many penalties: FSJ is the least penalized team but HP is third least. As a result, FSJ ranks first in PIMs per game for and against at +55. Scoring first and keeping the lead is vital for FSJ. They are 5-1 when scoring first but 1-5 when allowing the first goal. HP is 0-7 when scoring first – both their wins came after allowing the first goal – but 2-7 when allowing the first goal. Similarly, FSJ is 5-0 when leading after two periods but 0-5 when trailing. HP leads the league in blown leads, however, as they have lost half their games [7 of 14] when leading. HP is a league worst -39 in goals for and against in the second and third periods; FSJ’s best period is the second when they are +10. HP has more come-from-behind wins [12.50%] compared to FSJ’s 8.33%. FSJ has never lost to HP since entering the NPHL in 2005-06. They are a perfect 6-0 at home and 6-0 at HP for 12 straight wins overall. Curiously, of the six wins in HP, FSJ has covered the current line only twice, but five of six games at home. Despite the previous stats, I believe the champs show up for this game. FSJ to win and cover.
The season series
1. Sat., Nov. 10 – High Prairie 2 at Fort St. John 17
2. Sat., Jan. 5 – Fort St. John at High Prairie
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Fort St. John High PrairieRecord 6-6-0-0 [3-West] 2-11-2-1 [4-East]
Power Play 11-54, 20.37% [6] 10-63, 15.87% [7]
Penalty Kill 11-42, 73.81% [5] 26-85, 69.41% [7]
Shots For 37.17 per game [5] 34.63 per game [6]
Shots Vs 38.00 per game [4] 44.25 per game [6]
Shots Diff -10 [5] -154 [6]
PIM For 15.42 per game [1] 22.44 per game [3]
PIM Vs 20.00 per game [4] 18.69 per game [2]
PIM Diff +55 [1] -60 [6]
Scoring 1st 50.00% [4] 43.75 [5]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 5-1 [2] 0-7 [7]
Record Allow 1st Goal 1-5 [7] 2-7 [6]
Lead After 1 Period 4-0 [3] 2-5 [7]
Trail After 1 Period 1-4 [5] 0-8 [7]
Lead After 2 Periods 5-0 [T3] 1-1 [7]
Trail After 2 Periods 0-5 [T5] 0-13 [7]
Goals Scored in 1st 1.42 per game [6] 1.94 per game [3]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.83 per game [3] 1.13 per game [7]
Goals Scored in 3rd 2.08 per game [2] 1.31 [6]
Goals Allowed in 1st 1.50 per game [4] 2.50 [7]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 1.00 per game [1] 3.56 [7]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 2.00 [T3] 2.19 [7]
Goal Diff in 1 -1 [5] -9 [6]
Goal Diff in 2 +10 [3] -39 [7]
Goal Diff in 3 +1 [T3] -14 [7]
Come From Behind Wins 8.33% [7] 12.50% [6]
Blown Leads 8.33% [2] 50.00% [7]
Team Stick Fouls 2.91 PIM/Game [1] 3.82 PIM/Game [5]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