The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Looking for any and all tips anyone has for face-offs. Some games I clean up and there's always a few games a year where I just get destroyed. I watch a lot of video (YouTube, nothing major), if that helps. Also, it's a beer league so there isn't really any cheating.
I grip the stick real low (bottom hand like 6 inches from the blade, top hand a couple feet down from the butt end of the shaft) and just pull back real hard with both hands, winning it on the back hand. A key point is to keep your eyes on the puck in the refs hands, as opposed to looking down at the dot, really helps your timing. I win a lot of faceoffs this way, I'm sure I could try to add some other tricks, but this seems to work decently.
I grip the stick real low (bottom hand like 6 inches from the blade, top hand a couple feet down from the butt end of the shaft) and just pull back real hard with both hands, winning it on the back hand. A key point is to keep your eyes on the puck in the refs hands, as opposed to looking down at the dot, really helps your timing. I win a lot of faceoffs this way, I'm sure I could try to add some other tricks, but this seems to work decently.
i can certainly attest to this. seems so simple yet it's easy to overlook or neglect. i'm not a center, but every once in a blue moon i'll fill in or i'll sub on the dot if the center is having a bad night. went roughly from 1 out of every 10 to over 50% just by doing this.
another thing i started trying is using the body, real popular in upper levels. takes a bit of practice but can be quite effective. as usual, keep your eye on the puck but try to have a peak the opposing center's stick simultaneously. as soon as the ref makes a move, use your stick to block the opposing c's stick as you position your to block him out. if everything goes right, the puck should be a at your feet and you can kick it back to your d.
If you're up against a guy who is quicker with the hand-eye, don't play his speed game. Soon as the puck is let go by the ref, use your stick to either tie-up, block or lift his stick and move forward to shield the puck with your body/legs. Then kick it back to your team or whisper to one winger be ready to skate in for the puck before the draw.
cheat.. totally serious with this. cheat until the ref tells you to stop. one thing I found that works for me is keeping my stick off the ice just a little bit. in beer league the refs aren't really looking that closely. the other big thing, as some of the other posters have said is that when you come across a guy you just can't beat you've got to try something new. tip off your wingers that you're just going to tie up the other guy's stick and have them come in and get the puck.
Last edited by shoeshine boy: 04-12-2012 at 07:50 AM.
The most important thing you can learn while taking faces is the tie up.
When you are getting beat, just tie him up. In the defensive zone you should be tying him up anyways.
My favorite move though is forward hand to push it backwards. It is almost like a forward hand sweep backwards. I learned it from watching Vermette because it is his go to move. It owns the beer leagues.
• keep your eyes on the puck in the refs hand
• i go to a batting cage to help with hand eye co-ordination, seems to have done the trick as i'm great on the draws
I try to get "twitchy." Just keep jerking your hands a little bit, that seems to help when it is actually time to draw, you're already making the movement. Don't be too stationary. If something works, keep doing it until they stop you. If whatever you're doing doesn't work, change it up.
Have more than one faceoff move - draw back on your backhand, draw back on your forehand, tie up the other guy's stick by pinning it below yours, or try lifting it. One move that works well against guys that draw the puck back is to ignore the puck and put your stick behind theirs, to where they're drawing, so they draw the puck onto your stick, and then you can just win it clean.
I'm slow. I lose a lot of faceoffs when its a pure battle of speed and coordination.
So I ignore the puck and tie the guy's stick up. If I'm lucky I can kick the puck free. If I'm unlucky, there's a scramble. No one really "wins" that way but it gives my team a fighting chance to gain possession of the puck.
As a word of caution, its frustrating for the other player and you won't make any friends that way. Keep it in mind.
I'm pretty good on my backhand but I suck trying to win them forehand... Tying up seems like a good idea and it helps if you talk to one of your wingers beforehand and tell them that you're doing it so they can come in and sweep the puck up.
