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.
Manning at High Prairie [Sat., Dec. 8]
LINE: High Prairie by 2 1/2
It’s the third meeting of the season between the teams with MAN already enjoying home ice wins of 5-2 and 9-8 in OT. Examine the stats and you see two struggling teams. MAN ranks last in shots on goal for, shots on goal against, shots on goal differential. MAN is also the most penalized team in the NPHL. HP needs to work on special teams – they rank last on the PP and PK units, and second-to-last on shots on goal for, shots on goal against, and shots on goal differential. Despite all the penalties, MAN ranks second on PIM differential at +24 minutes per game while HP ranks fourth at -13 MPG. MAN ranks last in goals scored in the first period at 0.75 while HP ranks third; in the second period they fall to dead last. HP has also been outscored a horrific -22 goals in the second period compared to MAN’s -3. HP ranks third in goals scored in the first period while MAN is last, so a good start is crucial for HP, or at least have a much better second period. HP has lost 12 straight in MAN but this game is in HP. HP swept MAN last season at home winning 4-3 in OT and 9-3. Before last season, MAN had won seven straight in HP. Think home ice doesn’t matter sometimes? This year, MAN has outscored HP 13-6 at home; last season MAN outscored HP 15-8 at home, but HP outscored MAN 13-6 at home. Something has to give. MAN is 0-4 on the road while HP is still winless overall at 0-6-0-2 and 0-2-0-1 at home. HP to win, MAN with the goals.
The Season Series
1. Sat., Nov. 3 – High Prairie 2 at Manning 5
2. Sat., Dec. 1 – High Prairie 8 at Manning 9 (OT)
3. Sat., Dec. 8 – Manning at High Prairie
4. Sat., Dec. 22 – Manning at High Prairie
5. Sat., Jan. 19 – High Prairie at Manning
6. Sat., Feb. 2 – Manning at High Prairie
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Manning High PrairieRecord 3-5-0-0 [3-East] 0-6-1-1 [4-East]
Power Play 10-39, 25.64% [6] 7-31, 22.58% [7]
Penalty Kill 11-37, 70.27% [4] 17-42, 59.52% [7]
Shots For 30.57 per game [7] 34.63 per game [6]
Shots Vs 48.13 per game [7] 42.63 per game [6]
Shots Diff -139 [7] -64 [6]
PIM For 26.88 per game [7] 23.00 per game [6]
PIM Vs 29.88 per game [6] 21.38 per game [5]
PIM Diff +24 [2] -13 [4]
Scoring 1st 50.00% [T4] 50.00% [T4]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 1-3 [5] 0-4 [7]
Record Allow 1st Goal 2-2 [4] 0-4 [7]
Lead After 1 Period 0-1 {6] 0-3 [7]
Trail After 1 Period 2-3 [5] 0-4 [7]
Lead After 2 Periods 2-0 [5] 0-0 [7]
Trail After 2 Periods 1-5 [2] 0-8 [7]
Goals Scored in 1st 0.75 per game [7] 1.75 per game [3]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.63 per game [6] 1.25 per game [7]
Goals Scored in 3rd 1.43 per game [T6] 1.50 per game [5]
Goals Allowed in 1st 2.00 per game [6] 2.25 per game [7]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 2.00 per game [5] 4.00 per game [7]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 2.13 per game [5] 2.63 per game [6]
Goal Diff in 1 -10 [7] -4 [6]
Goal Diff in 2 -3 [5] -22 [7]
Goal Diff in 3 -7 [6] -9 [7]
Team Stick Fouls 5.00 PIM/Game [6] 3.67 PIM/Game [4]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