psulion22

I find that 99% of the guys that can blow pucks by me are using hockey sticks.

Yep, and NHL guys are so strong they don't need the true low kick to do the work for them. So they move the kick point up to get more velocity through energy transfer and less deflection.

Also keep in mind that most of the discussion about shot and release speed is considering the shot event in a vacuum - that being how release speed translates into the goalkeeper's ability to stop a clean shot on a static angle. But there are other variables that would affect the potential scoring ability of a shot where release speed would matter. The biggest one to me would be the presence of a shooting lane. A few milliseconds could be the difference between a shot getting through and going off a shin guard or stick blade. It may not affect the goalie's ability to stop the puck, but rather whether he has to. Another would be the total motion required to release a shot. A lower kick flex point allows the stick to load with less motion on it, meaning the puck doesn't have to travel as far in the player's stance to generate power. The difference in time it takes for the puck to leave the blade is nearly negligent, however the amount of movement and applicable time it takes to create the shot event is pretty large. A slap shot takes longer than a full wrist shot which takes longer than a quick toe snap shot. The low kick allows the player to shoot the puck with power from more hand and body positions which gives the goaltender less time to recognize the shot motion and anticipate the shot. The time the goalie has to see the shot coming off the blade is about the same. But the time the goalie has to anticipate having to look for it is much less with a low kick stick. Being able to deceive a goalie by releasing a full power shot with the hands more in front of the body, which can be used for a deke or pass as well, is more effective than just trying to blow it by him. As for why more NHL players aren't using low kicks if release speed is so important, I suspect that second part is exactly it. These guys are so strong that they can create the same release speed with a mid kick as a low kick, without the blade deflection that often accompanies low kicks as a result of the tapers used to transfer maximum energy.

At least you got a lot of action, and it wasn't a bunch of ringers. Not a whole lot of defense, but it's pickup and no one was going all out either. Sometimes it's just nice to have these kinds of sessions to get the gear on and make some saves without having to worry about the score or the other team's johnny-try-hard. I actually played in my rink's beginner league this last season. The director needed goalies, I had pads that I wasn't using, so I figured it would help us both out. The level of play was well below my skill level (and the director put me on the worst team as a result). But, surprisingly, I had a lot of fun. In the whole season, I only allowed one goal from beyond the faceoff dots. But I saw a ton of shots from in close and at that distance it doesn't matter how skilled the player is, you still have to make an effort to save them. The team was fun and everyone tried their hardest. It's a league run by the rink that has a draft each season, so there are no ringers or the perpetual arms race that happens in other leagues. Plus, it was nice to be the reason we won any game and have to other teams talk about how good you were. I felt like Henrik Lundqvist. lol

USA Hockey has a mobile app that has appendicies for things like this. They are also contained in the back of the rulebook.

If a P90T is in fact a Benn clone, then it is not a P30. The P30 is a P88 with a kinked toe being the only change to the curve (the rocker is different). The face of the blade is closed until you get to the toe, and the curve is a true mid. Bauer's Benn was more of a P92 variant, with a heel-ish twist and straighter blade of a P92 until you got to the toe where it had a sharp curve and kink to it like the P28. The Benn had a higher lie than the P30, again closer to the P92 but not quite that high. The toe was roughly the same shape and not as tapered as the P28, closer to, you guessed it, a P92 with a more square top but rounded bottom. Compared to the pic of that pro stock P90T, the Benn was more open throughout the blade and had a rounder toe. That P90T does look very much like a P30, the difference being the toe isn't quite as kinked at the bottom. I'm hoping they bring it to retail, as it really seems to be a full size blade version of Bauer's P14. I do not have them both in hand, but did compare them side by side at my LHS with the new Bauer Pro Custom samples.

I finally won a game in net, and kept my GA under 4, for the first time since returning from knee injuries almost a year ago. Not that I've played poorly, I've been playing really well. But I just seemed to allow too many or one I could/should have stopped too often. It was frustrating to have that happen so many times.

No, that's short sighted. What you need is to have 5 or 6 guys that are above the league level, one or two of them being far above. Then you rotate them in and out as subs during the regular season, making sure that they all get the required playoff eligibility, but never all show up at once. This is important because you have to have a 7-5 regular season record so the league doesn't want to move your team up a level. It helps if you start off 0-3. Then for the playoffs, you bring all your ringers and play them as much as possible, including only the 6 of them for the last half of the third, and all of any ensuing overtime. Collect your trophy and free beer certificate every season. Or at least that's what one team in two different leagues I play in does.

BGP2P sticks have a fused extension. I have personally had to cut one down, so I know this from experience. I can also say that my BGP2P is noticeably lighter than my 1X 3.0 at the same length, even with a larger P10 vs P88 blade. So the Pro Stock ADV is still lighter than a Pro Stock 1X Lite. Edit: I just went and found what I could of the extension I cut off. The pieces I found are about 5.5" long, which account for the 4" extension and an extra 1.5", but there is still some of the tenon from the extension in the stick. Those 5.5" pieces weigh 39 grams. It's also not all of what I cut, I'm still missing about 1/4-1/2". So the extension plus the epoxy used to fuse it in could easily weigh most of that 60 grams.

I paid $650 shipped for my used Sparx, two wheels no edge checker. I've seen them go in the $600-700 range. I bet I can find a buyer within a week for that one at $550 plus shipping if you wanted.

True. The carriage and mount position are fixed, so it eliminates a variable axis. But it's still worth checking. I also lay the steel flat on the table when I get it to check for twists and imperfections from the stamping process. So I know if I should be expecting any. This isn't precise by any means, and is not a comparable alternative to an edge checker. But it's a better than just eyeballing if you don't have one, until you can get one.

If you don't have an edge checker, you can use a carpenter's square to eyeball it. Put the steel on a flat surface and line it up to the square vertically. It should touch evenly the whole height. Test multiple spots. If it leans away at the top or bottom, you need to adjust the alignment.

Probably 1/2". But I'd go with 3/8" to get that bite.

Thanks. I could probably get away with a 7.5EE 2S Pro, because they have seemed to get a little bigger recently. 7 3/4 custom for sure. But if you think that they are a similar length and a little wider toe box, maybe the 8.5 D Mako 2 will fit close. I really love the Supreme line. They fit me pretty well. But I remember how comfortable and light the Makos I tried on were. I figured they might be worth a shot for sub-$400 if they would be close in size. I have made myself custom shot blockers from a sheet of Lexan that I cut and heat molded. I'd love some of that Ultra Stop material, but I can't seem to find any ordering or buying info on it.

Bauer is now including the Kucherov Pro in their Custom Pro options. I looked at it last night. It’s close to a P28, with a slightly more closed toe.

What is the fit profile of these things? My MX3s are getting to the end of their life, and I've come across a pair of Mako 2s. My MX3s are 8EE, the Makos are 8.5D. I remember trying on a pair of original Makos very briefly when they were first released, in size 8 or 8.5 D (I can't remember), and they fit pretty well from what I recall. Also, what's the impact protection like? I've taken shots in my Supremes that have left some serious bruises. I was thinking it might be from the Curv quarters, since in my much softer Nike V12s I never felt a thing. Thanks for the input. I'm just wondering if it makes sense to take a shot on these.

Which grit/density of Gumi stone do you use? Both Nash Sports and Tydan are offering Gumi type stones for Black/coated steel, but neither list the specs on it. Both are a brick color, so I'm wondering if the color is specific and that's the one I need. They're cheaper on Amazon.

This was a while ago, so you may know. Does the first name Alex ring a bell? Anyway, I just had a ref scream at and threaten to penalize a goalie for sending a puck down after an icing. I last game had a ref tell us that kicking the puck into the net was ok, because that’s “an NHL rule” and USA hockey doesn’t have it. When corrected to meaning that no puck can go in off a foot, his reply was “how many ref seminars have you been to?” I had a ref a few games ago tell us that a player who tracked another player from across the rink and drove that player from behind into the boards was only a 2 minute penalty. Mind you, all these incidents were within the last 2 weeks. We had a game where one of the refs didn’t blow his whistle the entire game. Seriously. Not even for icings or offsides. He just either waved everything off or didn’t bother calling it. In the third period of last season’s championship, a ref waved off a game tying goal because I was in the crease. Mind you, there were no marks on the ice. You couldn’t see any paint at all. Earlier in the game, that same ref told our bench that he couldn’t see any lines, so he had to use the stripes on the boards and it was more of a judgement call for offsides. But he somehow saw me in the invisible crease from 40 feet away with no board marking nearby. And I was nowhere near the play. It was a shot from the other side point that got redirected short side. I was coming from the opposite wall. It seems like every game I play, there is something egregious that goes either uncalled, or incorrectly called, and usually it involves something dangerous. A few seasons ago, we lost in a shootout 2-1. One goal was a double hit that I made a save and the player put in the rebound. And the second goal, the guy cut through the crease, kicked my stick out of the way, and put it 5 hole. Video confirmed both of those. So don’t feel bad.

I once had a coach at a camp, who was the HC for the women's team at a major D1 university, tell the room that all refs are a-hole POSs and should be treated accordingly. We all laughed. Since then, I've come to realize he's right. In my experience, especially recently, good beer league refs are like frickin unicorns, and good hockey directors are like 4 leaf clovers. Sadly the best ref down here is a POS human being (that you'd know from being infamous on GGSU, IPv6).

Yes, that's the better term. I want a non-retail build.

The display board for the "Pro" Custom option states Choose your: Kick-point Shaft shape Blade Construction Extra curves (including popular NHL patterns) Extra flexes Extra Length Grip Color Name bar Minimum is 2 sticks I was hoping for other flex options than just the current versions from the 3 families - like a G3/RB8/R32 or S161X/1X2.0/BR05. Neither of the current versions of the stick is as good as those.

I don't think 1/2" is all that deep. Yes, exactly this. The edges are sharp, but they bite like they've been dulled a little. It's an easy fix by just adjusting the hollow for it. The convenience of running a pass or two on each skate while I'm packing my bag is just too much to trade for a manual sharpener.

Maybe it's because the Sparx doesn't apply as much pressure as a human on a regular machine would, but I find the bite of my Sparx lacking compared to a manual sharpening at the same hollow. When I have to buy a new ring, I'm going to step up to 7/16 or 3/8 from 1/2 to get a little more bite.

I'll third (fourth?, tenth?) the P30. It's a P88 with a kink at the bottom of the toe. That's the big key. It's only open at the bottom, the top of the toe is still closed.

My experience with Flare blades is that they are like a FBV on steroids. Much better glide, and better bite for the angle. After a few sessions, I can confidently say I'm faster on these runners. It's to the point that I was actually out of control until I learned to adapt to the speed. I was running into other players and the boards/net because I was going faster and cutting faster than I thought and misjudged things. It's resulted in a few pretty hard hits, in non-checking hockey. These blades are definitely as advertised, more than I expected them to be. There's more of a learning curve than I anticipated, and I'm still finding how deep I can get and still have an edge. There is also a spot where you do lose an edge if you were to very lightly turn your ankle (I guess it's in that 0-6* range before you engage the flare). Even with that, I still very highly recommend them.