Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
We can’t get a much more wilder night that Saturday last in the NPHL. Coupled with all the suspensions and penalties, not to mention other weird happenings, I was a perfect 0-3 against the line! Skunked! David Temple, former NPHL linesman and avid NPHL fan, sets the lines and is inching closer to .500 each week.
Grande Prairie at Fort St. John [Thu., Jan. 10]
LINE: Fort St. John by 3 1/2
It’s the fifth of six meetings this season. GP [19 points] is five points behind DC [24 points] in the battle for first but five points ahead of FSJ [14 points] in the battle for second. Either way, GP is battling for home ice advantage in a playoff round. FSJ has to win to keep any hopes of second place alive. It is worth remembering this is the time last year that FSJ got on a roll toward the NPHL title. GP has a clear advantage in the stats. GP ranks in the top three in PK, shots on goal for and shots on goal against [GP’s PP is fifth], while FSJ ranks fourth in PP and fifth in PK, shots on goal for and shots on goal against. It translates to GP’s second-ranked shots on goal for and against at +125 to FSJ’s -6. This game could come down to penalties: GP is the sixth most penalized team; FSJ is second least penalized. FSJ has a +147 PIM this season to rank first while GP is -70 PIM to rank sixth. The teams have surprisingly similar records when scoring first or having period leads. Scoring first in important for both teams. GP is 6-2 when scoring first, FSJ is 5-1. When allowing the first goal, GP is 2-4 and FSJ 2-5. Both teams are perfect when leading after one period: GP is 6-0 and FSJ 5-0. When leading after two periods, GP is 8-1 and FSJ 6-0. Both teams are 0-5 when trailing after two periods. Will the third period be key? GP has outscored their opposition +25 goals to rank first while FSJ is even to rank fourth. Recent history seems to suggest this is an easy pick. The home team has won all four meetings this season. GP lost both games in FSJ 6-5 and 5-4 and won at home 7-2 and 3-0. GP has now lost three straight and seven of eight in FSJ since an 8-3 win on Nov. 13, 2014. In the seven losses, FSJ has covered the current line three times. FSJ to win but GP with the goals.
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 0 at Grande Prairie 3
5. Thu., Jan. 10 – Grande Prairie at Fort St. John
6. Thu., Jan. 31 – Fort St. John at Grande Prairie
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Grande Prairie Fort St. JohnRecord 8-3-3-0 [2-West] 7-6-0-0 [3-West]
Power Play 17-67, 25.37% [4] 14-62, 22.58% [5]
Penalty Kill 19-86, 77.91% [2] 12-43, 71.09% [5]
Shots For 45.93 per game [1] 37.46 per game [5]
Shots Vs 37.00 per game [2] 37.92 per game [4]
Shots Diff +125 [2] -6 [5]
PIM For 33.93 per game [6] 16.15 per game [2]
PIM Vs 28.93 per game [6] 27.46 per game [4]
PIM Diff -70 [6] +147 [1]
Scoring 1st 57.14% [2] 46.15% [6]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 6-2 [3] 5-1 [2]
Record Allow 1st Goal 2-4 [4] 2-5 [6]
Lead After 1 Period 6-0 {T1] 5-0 [3]
Trail After 1 Period 2-3 [3] 1-4 [5]
Lead After 2 Periods 8-1 [5] 6-0 [2]
Trail After 2 Periods 0-5 [T5] 0-5 [T5]
Goals Scored in 1st 1.64 per game [5] 1.62 per game [6]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.79 per game [4] 2.00 per game [3]
Goals Scored in 3rd 2.79 per game [1] 2.00 per game [T2]
Goals Allowed in 1st 1.36 per game [2] 1.54 per game [4]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 1.21 per game [4] 1.00 per game [1]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 1.00 per game [2] 2.00 per game [4]
Goal Diff in 1 +4 [3] +1 [4]
Goal Diff in 2 +8 [4] +13 [3]
Goal Diff in 3 +25 [1] EVEN [4]
Come From Behind Wins 14.29% [6] 15.38% [5]
Blown Leads 21.43% [4] 7.69% [23]
Team Stick Fouls 5.43 PIM/Game [7] 2.69 PIM/Game [1]LAST WEEK’S RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 6-0
LAST WEEK’S RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 2-4
SEASON RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 36-17
SEASON RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 30-23