High Prairie at Falher Preview [Dec. 6]
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.
High Prairie at Falher [Thu., Dec. 6]
LINE: Falher by 4 1/2
It’s the second of six meetings this season. In a scheduling quirk, the teams will meet three straight Thursdays in December. FAL won 10-4 at HP on Nov. 15. This game could be decided on special teams where HP ranks dead last in PP and PK. FAL isn’t much better, ranking fourth in PP and fifth in PK. HP is ranked sixth in PIMs for and FAL fifth so both teams need to stay out of the sin bin. HP is -64 in shots on goal for/vs while FAL is only -9. In an odd stat that goes against all logic, neither team has won when scoring first this season: HP is 0-4 and FAL 0-3. It doesn’t matter to FAL if they don’t score first. They have won more games this season when giving up the first goal [4] and own the second best win percentage in the NPHL when trailing early. HP has not led after two periods in any game this season. HP is a league worst -22 in goals for and against in the second period while FAL ranks first at +9. FAL leads the NPHl in stick foul PIMs per game at 5.86. There are ugly stats when HP goes to FAL. FAL has won 14 straight over HP in FAL since Dec. 18, 2010 and each game has been by at least three goals. Eleven of the 14 wins have been by at least five goals. FAL has also scored at least seven goals in 11 of the wins, and HP scored three goals or more only twice. I can’t ignore the stats. HP remains winless. FAL to win and cover.
The Season Series
1. Thu., Nov. 15 – Falher 10 at High Prairie 4
2. Thu., Dec. 6 – High Prairie at Falher
3. Thu., Dec. 13 – Falher at High Prairie
4. Thu., Dec. 20– High Prairie at Falher
5. Thu., Jan. 24 – Falher at High Prairie
6. Thu., Jan. 31 – High Prairie at Falher
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category High Prairie FalherRecord 0-6-1-1 [4-East] 4-3-0-1 [2-East]
Power Play 7-31, 22.58% [7] 12-42, 28.57% [4]
Penalty Kill 17-42, 59.52% [7] 13-40, 67.50% [5]
Shots For 34.63 per game [6] 40.63 per game [4]
Shots Vs 42.63 per game [6] 41.75 per game [5]
Shots Diff -64 [6] -9 [5]
PIM For 23.00 per game [6] 21.75 per game [5]
PIM Vs 21.38 per game [5] 19.75 per game [4]
PIM Diff -13 [4] -16 [5]
Scoring 1st 50.00% [T4] 37.50% [T6]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 0-4 [7] 0-3 [6]
Record Allow 1st Goal 0-4 [7] 4-1 [2]
Lead After 1 Period 0-3 {7] 2-3 [5]
Trail After 1 Period 0-4 [7] 1-1 [T-2]
Lead After 2 Periods 0-0 [7] 3-2 [6]
Trail After 2 Periods 0-8 [7] 0-1 [T3]
Goals Scored in 1st 1.75 per game [3] 2.13 per game [2]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.25 per game [7] 2.50 per game [1]
Goals Scored in 3rd 1.50 per game [5] 2.00 per game [4]
Goals Allowed in 1st 2.25 per game [7] 1.25 per game [2]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 4.00 per game [7] 1.38 per game [4]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 2.63 per game [6] 2.75 per game [7]
Goal Diff in 1 -4 [6] +7 [2]
Goal Diff in 2 -22 [7] +9 [T1]
Goal Diff in 3 -9 [7] -6 [5]
Come From Behind Wins 0% [7] 50.00% [1]
Blown Leads 62.50% [7] 37.50% [T5]
Team Stick Fouls 3.67 PIM/Game [4] 5.86 PIM/Game [7]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