Chris Clegg
NPHL.com Writer

NPHL teams go to war all season long to get home ice advantage in the playoffs.
But ask Grande Prairie and Falher if they want to play at home any time soon.
All kidding aside, GP defeated FAL 6-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their NPHL Semi-Final series Tuesday night, and the road team has won all three games, and outscored the home team 17-9.

Mackenzie Caron scored twice and added an assist to lead GP in a penalty-filled affair [80 penalties in minutes called in the game], as the two clubs are quickly acquiring a hate for each other.
GP received goals from Sheldon Hubbard and Caron to take a 2-0 lead in the first.
However, GP ran into penalty trouble and FAL responded with power play goals from Brian Sommers and Dakota Mason to tie the game 2-2 before the end of the frame, the latter coming with a scant three seconds left on the clock.
In the second period, Braden Crone’s power play goal gave GP the lead they would not give up the rest of the night. Morgan MacLean scored at even strength before the end of the period to give GP a 4-2 lead.
In the third, Darian Fay scored at 6:36 and Caron scored into an empty net to send the A’s home happy.
The A’s look to take a 3-1 lead in the series and reverse the trend of the home team losing when they host FAL on Thursday night.

Athletics 6 at Pirates 2
Tuesday, Feb. 26
[Athletics lead series 2-1]

First period
1. GP, Sheldon Hubbard 1 (Mackenzie Caron, Parker Sharp) 2:44 (pp)
2. GP, Mackenzie Caron 2 (Blake Clement) 4:54
3. FAL, Brian Sommers 3 (Kevin Monfette, Joel Pelletier) 11:41 (pp)
4. FAL, Dakota Mason 7 (Brian Somers) 19:57 (pp)
Penalties: Joel Pelletier FAL (elbowing) 1:04, Paul Larocque, GP (tripping) 7:37, Mackenzie Caron GP (slashing) 11:35, Paul Larocque, GP (interference) 12:42, Tyrone Kipling GP (interference) 15:27, Rollie Gladue FAL (roughing) 17:36, Sheldon Hubbard GP (interference) 19:08.
Second period
5. GP, Braden Crone 2 (Tanner Labbe, Dennis Rix) 10:47 (pp)
6. GP, Morgan MacLean 3 (Parker Sharp, Tanner Labbe) 11:56
Penalties: Darren Kramer FAL (cross-checking) 2:16, Blake Clement GP (interference) 3:08, Tyrone Kipling GP and Joel Pelletier FAL (unsportsmanlike) 4:09, Rollie Gladue FAL (interference) and Jay Anderson FAL (misconduct) 8:55, Darren Kramer FAL (boarding) 12:15, Darien Fay GP (hooking) 15:00, Braden Crone GP (interference) 17:37.
Third period
7. GP, Darien Fay 2 (Morgan MacLean, Tanner Labbe) 6:36
8. GP, Mackenzie Caron 3 (Dennis Rix, Blake Clement) 18:56 (en)
Penalties: Morgan MacLean GP (unsportsmanlike) 1:59, Andrew Buote GP (slashing) 3:22, Dakota Mason FAL (hooking) 12:37, Trevor Mazurek FAL (cross-checking) 14:26, Paul Larocque GP (misconduct) and Joel Pelletier FAL (roughing) and Jay Anderson FAL (misconduct, game misconduct) 19:47.
Shots on goal:

Grande Prairie	12	15	 8	-35

Falher		17	13	 8	-38

Goaltenders: Athletics, Kiefer Smiley; Pirates, Chad Rycroft.

Power Plays: GP 2-8; FAL 2-10.

Penalties in Minutes: GP 32; FAL 48.