Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer
Just two games over the Christmas season with Grimshaw and High Prairie playing a home-and-home Dec. 27 and Dec. 29. The Dec. 29 game is at Peace River. This neutral site game will mark the first NPHL regular season game in Peace River since PR defeated Valleyview 7-5 on Feb. 4, 2010, a span of 3,150 days. I have combined the two lines and picks in one stats package. David Temple, former NPHL linesman and avid NPHL fan, sets the lines.
Grimshaw at High Prairie [Thu., Dec. 27]
LINE: High Prairie by 1 1/2
High Prairie at Grimshaw [Sat., Dec. 29]
LINE: Grimshaw by 2 1/2
It’s the third and fourth meetings of six this season. These are two struggling teams looking to get on track. After a 4-0-1 start, GRIM has lost six of seven. HP is still winless in 14 games with only 2 OT points and a SO point to show for their efforts. GRIM won both previous meetings: 9-8 in a shootout in HP and 10-5 at home. Despite their record, GRIM has the second best PP unit and third best PK in the league. HP ranks dead last in both categories. If penalties play a factor, GRIM’s stats indicate an oddity. GRIM is the most penalized team in the league, and has the most PIMs against per game. Yet, overall, GRIM is +23 PIMs per game to rank third, and they have had 16 more PP chances this season than given up. This game is all about defence. Expect lots of goals, as the two earlier games indicate. The teams have the two worst defensive records in the league. GRIM ranks sixth in each period in goals allowed on average. HP is seventh and last. Whoever tightens up best will probably win. HP’s goals for and against ranks sixth in the league in the first period [-11], and seventh [last] in the second [-38] and third periods [-16]. It is not as if HP can’t get a lead – they just can’t keep it. HP has led in 7 of 14 games played and lost them all. GRIM is last in the NPHL in scoring the first goal of the game – only 33.33% so expect HP to get a lead. Can they keep it? GRIM is only 3-5 when allowing the first goal. GRIM won in HP earlier this season, but HP swept GRIM last season. Before that, GRIM had won six straight so overall GRIM is 7-2 in their last nine visits to HP. Eight goals was the least amount scored in any of the games. In GRIM, the Huskies have won eight of the last nine, with seven covering the current line. The picks:
GRIM at HP: HP to win, GRIM with the goals.
HP at GRIM; GRIM to win and cover.
The Season Series
1. Thu., Nov. 22 – Grimshaw 9 at High Prairie 8 (SO)
2. Thu., Nov. 29 – High Prairie 5 at Grimshaw 10
3. Thu., Dec. 27 – Grimshaw at High Prairie
4. Sat., Dec. 29 – High Prairie at Grimshaw [at Peace River]
5. Sat., Jan. 12 – High Prairie at Grimshaw
6. Thu., Jan. 17 – Grimshaw at High Prairie
The Stats Pack
[Ranking in Parenthesis]
Category Grimshaw High PrairieRecord 5-6-1-0 [3-East] 0-11-2-1 [4-East]
Power Play 23-67, 34.33% [2] 10-59, 16.95% [7]
Penalty Kill 12-51, 76.47% [3] 23-78, 70.51% [7]
Shots For 41.33 per game [4] 32.93 per game [6]
Shots Vs 36.50 per game [2] 44.43 per game [6]
Shots Diff +58 [3] -161 [5]
PIM For 29.08 per game [7] 24.07 per game [3]
PIM Vs 31.00 per game [7] 20.21 per game [4]
PIM Diff +23 [3] -54 [6]
Scoring 1st 33.33% [7] 50.007% [T4]
Record Scoring 1st Goal 2-2 [6] 0-7 [7]
Record Allow 1st Goal 3-5 [5] 0-7 [7]
Lead After 1 Period 4-2 {5] 0-5 [7]
Trail After 1 Period 1-4 [T5] 0-8 [7]
Lead After 2 Periods 4-0 [5] 0-1 [7]
Trail After 2 Periods 1-7 [2] 0-13 [7]
Goals Scored in 1st 2.00 per game [2] 1.71 per game [3]
Goals Scored in 2nd 1.42 per game [6] 1.00 per game [7]
Goals Scored in 3rd 1.83 per game [T4] 1.21 per game [T6]
Goals Allowed in 1st 1.83 per game [6] 2.50 per game [7]
Goals Allowed in 2nd 2.75 per game [6] 3.71 per game [7]
Goals Allowed in 3rd 2.17 per game [6] 2.36 per game [7]
Goal Diff in 1 +4 [T3] -11 [6]
Goal Diff in 2 -16 [6] -38 [7]
Goal Diff in 3 -4 [5] -16 [7]
Come From Behind Wins 25.00% [T3] 0% [7]
Blown Leads 25.00% [5] 57.14% [7]
Team Stick Fouls 3.50 PIM/Game [3] 3.93 PIM/Game [5]LAST WEEK’S RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 2-4
LAST WEEK’S RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 3-3
SEASON RECORD STRAIGHT-UP: 29-16
SEASON RECORD AGAINST THE LINE: 28-17