Okay, it is now proven beyond doubt that - with practice - the ball can be hit hard and accurately from the left of the body without unduly endangering anyone with the stick swing, when are we going to dump the 'backsticks' Rule and get to develop 'both sides' stickwork?
Okay, but hockey is not cricket either - the reason hockey sticks are flat on the left face side only is because the game was initially developed as a winter recreation for cricket players. The 'not ice hockey' observation is not really relevant because the type of stick-work used in each sport is utterly different. I doubt as well that ice-hockey players use an edge-hit very often in place of a back-side slap - in that respect it would do no harm for hockey to be like ice-hockey.