stiffer stick better for faceoffs?

[wetwilly17 6]

i switched to an 85flex easton stealth cnt tonight because my #1 stick broke. it was a vapor xxx lite 77 flex (but is much more stiffer than the 85flex cnt).

with the 85flex stealth, shots were tricky because i wasn't used to the lag. faceoffs were really difficult at first with the stealth. anytime the faceoff resulted in a strength battle (where both our sticks meet each other as we try to swipe the puck back), the stick would bend and give way too much allowing the other player to win the faceoff. i wasn't used to this and lost many faceoffs. eventually i started getting lower to the ice and putting my top hand lower so that the stick wouldn't flex as much and that helped, but it wasn't my ideal faceoff stance.

1st question: are stiffer sticks better for faceoffs or is it just me?

2nd question: are 85flex eastons supposed to be that much 'whippier' that 77flex bauer? the flex chart on this site makes me think i got a crappy easton stick. i've had several synergy sl's at 85 flex and they weren't quite as whippy as this cnt, but they were still whippier than my 77flex xxx lite. i've also had a couple 85flex zbubbles that felt about the same as the 77flex xxx lite. maybe i just have an extra stiff xxx lite?

[Rustyhole 1]

personally, i got a SynSL Grip 85 when it came out and then last year got 2 SynSL 100's from sportchek and i personally can't tell a difference... not that im' that great :)

except for the fact that I had to add a plug to the 85 and 'cut' the 100's and slight graphic differences they seem the same. weird.

[D aka speck 0]

Do you watch the ref or the opponent during a faceoff?

As soon as the puck leaves the ref's fingers you can quickly jam your opponents stick back.

It's an unseen move that leaves you with command of the puck.

[jigsaw 0]

hm... i didn't know the cnt's are more flexible than the 77 bauer flex...

[habsfan87 0]

I've never really thought about flex and faceoffs, I've played centre my whole life as well as used stiff sticks all my life and I had some success with faceoffs. When I try a flexier stick next I'll keep this in mind

[fatwabbit 93]

been using 75 flex for the past 4 or 5 years, and usually win most of the faceoffs i take. I try to sweep it fast and as clean as I can so that it goes to someone who can take a quick shot.

[Havok19 0]

I use a 77 flex XXXX and a S17 and i can tell you that there is no diff in the flex for faceoff.Its more like practice make you better then anything.

[Clark12 0]

Speed wins you faceoffs, not the flex of your stick!

[Nealoc187 10]

i guess it makes sense that a stiffer stick might be a little bit of a help on draws, but i'd say 99% of it is the player and 1% of it is the stick.

[Law Goalie 147]

If you cheat like Sundin and actually pitchfork the other guy out of the way, I'd image that a stiffer stick would help.

[wetwilly17 6]

Do you watch the ref or the opponent during a faceoff?

As soon as the puck leaves the ref's fingers you can quickly jam your opponents stick back.

It's an unseen move that leaves you with command of the puck.

i do that when i can, but it just depends on what the opposing center does

Speed wins you faceoffs, not the flex of your stick!

i agree, but sometimes it becomes a bit of a strenght battle. in those cases, i was losing a lot because my stick would give way too much. i talked to the other teams center afterwards. he had a 100flex. he said he definately noticed me losing more faceoffs with the new stick...part of it was probably just in my head...nervous about breaking another stick. it makes me sick when i break two sticks in 1 game.

[DamnLocust 0]

I was actually uncomfortable using my 100 flex ak27 shaft for faceoffs because it's whippier than my 100 flex dolomite that I was previously using. It felt like the shaft was going to break every time I took a draw with it.

Regardless, the stiffer sticks definitely feel better for faceoffs, but I think it may have been more mental than anything else.

[D aka speck 0]

i agree, but sometimes it becomes a bit of a strenght battle.

I would say more leverage than strength...

[-brady2 0]

i def noticed that my v10 85 flex is a shitload stiffer than my 86 cnt stealth.