Bought a new stick and finally got to test it out Saturday night
After I switched from aluminum back to wood in the '90s, I used the
Sherwood 5030 for years, and had my best results
It remains my favorite stick I've used, but since I was breaking one every
other game the cost got to be too much - even at the $20+ it was then
I used the Synergy when it first came out, and that wasn't bad
I didn't like it as much as the Sherwood, but it was pretty decent feel wise
a lot of composites I had tried, I hated intensely because of the feel
It lasted about a season and a half, or about 15 Sherwoods ( $375 )
At $140, that was a good tradeoff
When it broke, I cut off the end and put a wooden blade on it, and liked it better
Eventually though, it lost it's recoil, and I was hoping it would break - which it eventually did
I tried a few different sticks that I hated, and eventually found a Branches aluminum for $10
Yup that's not a misprint - $10, blade included
I didn't like it too much, and after I broke my 3rd blade, I retired it
Mostly cuz, the night I broke it, I used my backup which was a $35 Rebellion
I had bought it, used it once in warmups a few years ago, and quickly dismissed it
now using it in pickup, I suddenly liked it
I had NO slapshot whatsoever with it, but the wristshot and snapshot were pretty good
Eventually though, the lack of slapshot power prompted me to consider going back to
my favorite ... the Sherwood 5030
However, the day I was at Zwickers, they didn't have the model I wanted ...
but they DID have this one...
http://www.hockeymonkey.com/sherwood-ho ... cc-sr.htmlI was intrigued ... a composite that looks (and hopefully FEELS) like a wood
since they didn't have the wooden model I wanted, I bought the 5030 cc ($90)
turns out that's a good price, because at hockeymonkey I'd have paid more once the
shipping was included.
That weekend, hockey was cancelled ... FUCK
This weekend, I finally got to use it, but I was a little late so no warmup test
I don't remember how long it took, but I do know I scored on my first shot with it
Centering feed from left wing boards, one-time chip shot from about 15 ft., top corner glove side
total tally for the night was 5 goals on 7 shots (and those 2 missed the net, so technically, it was 5 for 5
)
I don't think I've ever scored 5 goals in a night, even in pickup ( much less on 7 shots)
granted, they were Ken Hodge Jr. type goals (string all 5 end to end, they might clear the faceoff circle)
But they say that's where the goals are had, right near the crease
The 3rd goal actually required some deftness
I was gliding backwards in front, from goalies left to right (I'm a lefty)
the pass came from the right wing corner, and I had to reach out to trap it on the backhand
I redirected it towards me, but instead of shooting forehand shortside, I reached it back out
on my backhand as the goalie cane sliding across, and buried it far side
Yeah, I was happy with that one ... especially the velocity I got on the backhand
The 4th one was strange, I curled off the boards at the top of the RW circle, and tried
to pass it to a teammate at the far post ... he said he never touched it, just went in
The 5th was the best for last ... I was fighting for the puck along the RW boards in our
zone, pushed the opponent's hooking stick back in his face, he grabbed my stick, I kicked
the puck out of the zone, pulled my stick free and moved the puck ahead, ducked the charge
coming from another player while chopping the former players slashing stick out of his hands
then proceeded to race up the RW side going one on one with their gargantuan D man
He made me go way wide, but I turned him at the goal line, set my heels and wheeled back
out in front, and went across the front of the net, drilling my shot 5-hole as the goalie
slid across to follow me
I think I like this stick