Dan Replies:
Tyler: Good question. Face-offs are won in one of two ways: quickness or strength.
The secret to winning by quickness is to limit the movement of your stick because more motion takes more time. Get low into a crouch, get your lower hand down close to the blade and try to pick it off with the smallest motion possible - because that's the quickest.
The secret to winning by strength is not to go for the puck but to tie the opponent and his stick up so you can win it with your stick or you can kick the puck back or hold the opponent up long enough so that a teammate can snatch the puck. It would important that you communicate with your teammates so that if you are going to tie your opponent up that they are looking to snatch the puck. That would be the job of the winger away from the goalie as the winger towards the center of the ice should be going for the net.
Here are some suggestions to that may help:
- After you're set, keep your eye on the puck in the ref's hands - don't be distracted.
- Try to vary your approach so the opponent can't guess what you are going to do.
- It's easiest to win with quickness on your back hand. Turn your lower hand over so your thumb is up - you will be much stronger and quicker.
- Size up your opponent. If he is upright, he will be easier to beat with strength. If he's a lot bigger, you may decide to go with quickness.
- Always be mentally and physically prepared to overcome an opponent who tries to beat you with strength. Get low into a crouch so you can't be easily overpowered.
- And the most important rule of all: practice your quickness. With your helmet on, put the puck on your head and slowly look down and when it falls... pounce on it.
Hope this helps.
