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.
Grimshaw at Dawson Creek Preview [Sat., Jan. 5]
LINE: Dawson Creek by 6 1/2
It’s the second and final meeting of the season: DC won in GRIM 7-3 on Dec. 1. It’s a battle of hot and cold teams. At the start of the week before Jan. 3 games, DC had won 10 of 12 while GRIM had lost eight of nine games.
These teams rank in the Top 4 in PP, PK, shots on goal for, shots on goal against, and shots on goal for and against. But – and it’s big but – DC ranks first in each category. GRIM may not be able to take advantage of its second-ranked PP because DC is the second least penalized team in the NPHL. DC’s PP unit is first and GRIM is the sixth most penalized team. DC is 0-2 when trailing after two periods but is perfect when scoring the first goal [7-0], leading after the first period [5-0], and leading after the second period [10-0]. GRIM starts well, ranking second in goals for in the first period. After that, GRIM ranks in the bottom three in goals scored in the second and third periods, and goals allowed in each period. Further, GRIM is even in goals for and against in the first period, but -15 in the second period and -6 in the third. DC is +19 in the second period and +10 in the third. DC has come back in 25% of its wins while GRIM has blown leads in 35.71% of its games. DC had won seven straight at home vs GRIM since a 6-3 loss on Feb. 10, 2001 but DC had to forfeit their win last season. Only two of those games covered the current line. Plus, DC has covered this line only once in its history in GRIM. I know GRIM is struggling, and DC looks like the team to beat, but history suggests the line is too high. DC to win, GRIM with the goals.
The season series
1. Sat., Dec. 1 – Dawson Creek 7 at Grimshaw 3
2. Sat., Jan. 5 – Grimshaw at Dawson Creek
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Grimshaw Dawson CreekRecord 5-7-2-0 [3-East] 10-2-0-0 [1-East]
Power Play 26-74, 35.14% [2] 18-49, 36.73% [1]
Penalty Kill 12-55, 78.18% [3] 9-46, 80.43% [1]
Shots For 41.57 per game [4] 45.17 per game [1]
Shots Vs 37.93 per game [3] 32.42 per game [1]
Shots Diff +51 [4] +153 [1]
PIM For 26.07 per game [5] 16.17 per game [2]
PIM Vs 28.14 per game [6] 17.58 per game [1]
PIM Diff +29 [3] +17 [5]
Scoring 1st 42.86 [T6] 58.33% [T1]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 2-4 [6] 7-0 [1]
Record Allow 1st Goal 3-5 [5] 3-2 [2]
Lead After 1 Period 4-2 [5] 5-0 [T1]
Trail After 1 Period 1-6 [6] 1-2 [4]
Lead After 2 Periods 4-0 [5] 10-0 [1]
Trail After 2 Periods 1-8 [2] 0-2 [4]
Goals Scored in 1st 2.07 per game [2] 1.67 per game [4]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.57 per game [5] 2.67 per game [2]
Goals Scored in 3rd 1.71 [5] 1.83 per game [4]
Goals Allowed in 1st 2.07 [6] 1.15 per game [1]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 2.64 [6] 1.08 per game [2]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 21.4 [T5] 1.00 per game [T1]
Goal Diff in 1 EVEN [4] +5 [2]
Goal Diff in 2 -15 [6] +19 [2]
Goal Diff in 3 -6 [5] +10 [2]
Come From Behind Wins 21.43% [4] 25.00% [3]
Blown Leads 35.71% [6] 00.00% [1]
Team Stick Fouls 3.43 PIM/Game [3] 3.42 PIM/Game [2]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