It's a microscosm vs macrocosm issue.
Can a faceoff be important? Absolutely. If it is in one end in a close game, winning or losing it could very well impact the game.
But the thing is, there are thousands of them over a season. As driveway pointed out above, even though FO wins can result in goals, it averages out over a season and it is very difficult to be dominant enough for it to have a net impact.
If it takes 60% to be worth 2 extra wins, then the very best team in the league each year is only generating 1 extra win. One. And the vast majority of teams would all be net zero.
Yet every night, FOs are discussed as a key component of the game.
Someone brought up PPs. Are they important? Of course. But over the course of the season, the total goal differential from team to team is marginal. A strong PP might be worth a handful of goals at best, and maybe a win or two more over the season than an average team.
This is precisely why the Corsi-cans look at 5 on 5, close stats.
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