Crosby Changes Skate Sharpening Hollow
Crosby changed his skate sharpening for the outdoor classic game on New Years Day against the Washington Capitals. He normally uses a 7/16th hollow, which is very deep. But, with the ice so soft due to the warmer temperatures (it was raining for much of the game), he went to a much shallower 11/16th. Teams were really worried about groin injuries, but it is extremely unusual for him to tamper with anything.
When skates are sharpened, a hollow is ground in between the two outside edges. A skate with a deep hollow has very pronounced and aggressive edges with a bite angle that is more direct into the ice. The deeper hollow gives the skate more bite which is great for sharp turns. A deep hollow, like Crosby usually uses, causes the edges to sink in the ice more, which in turn causes drag and slows you down.
A shallower hollows produce faster speeds. By Crosby switching to 11/16th in the outdoor ice, he gives up a degree of edge control, but gains a little speed.
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