If I;m at the Joe, and I go to the bathroom during the period, the Wings will score.  every time.  I’m surprised that Holland doesn’t pay me to sit in there.

Posted by Todzilla on 05/21/08 at 02:21 PM ET

oh, and I almost forgot, if we go down in a series, and I feel that it is a super-important game (obviously more like game 5-6 than game 2), I can guarantee a win by shaving off the right half of my playoff beard.  this always works, but I can only do it once per playoffs (don’t worry, I still have that club in the bag)

-t

Posted by Todzilla on 05/21/08 at 02:25 PM ET

most reliable?
Not letting my wife watch the game when the rangers are tied or ahead by one goal…otherwise she is allowed to watch with me

Posted by bsalamon on 05/21/08 at 02:43 PM ET

During the long Wild playoff run this year I ordered potstickers every night from the same Chinese restaurant.  Needless to say, my digestive tract wasn’t too upset when the Avs won in 6.

Details here:

http://www.wildpuckbanter.com/2008/04/legend-grows.html

Posted by Roy from Minneapolis on 05/21/08 at 02:45 PM ET

My greatest hockey superstition is telling anyone about my superstitions for fear they will begin working less effectively. 

I’ve said too much already!

Posted by pterals on 05/21/08 at 02:46 PM ET

Most reliable superstition?  Watching clips from previous successful or interesting games, before the game, which means if I’m busy or forgot to do it, the game doesn’t end well (a loss, or one of our players has ended up injured, or both).  I can think of only maybe three or four times in the last two seasons that this hasn’t remained true, and most of those were in the playoffs, when all superstitions and bets are off.

Also, my roommate is good luck to the Flames during the regular season (he’s never seen them lose live), but for the love of god, keep him away from them in the post-season… again, all superstitions and bets are off.

Posted by Jen on 05/21/08 at 02:58 PM ET

This year’s home gamedays went like this:

-Go home by turning right on Greer (not Grier) Avenue rather than taking my usual route. This is important because turning LEFT on Greer to go to the office wound up in a loss.

-Eat at the same Chinese restaurant with my dad before every game. Order the same meal. If I went with my wife, we had to get burritos sometime during the day.

-If the Sharks were winning, my dad got a popcorn between the 2nd/3rd to keep the mojo going.

The Sharks won every game that followed that pattern. Weekend games and early start times screwed up our routine, and not surprisingly, the Sharks lost those games. Away games were just a total fustercluck in themselves.

Posted by Mike Chen on 05/21/08 at 02:59 PM ET

I have a Red Wings coffee cup. Every morning that I’ve used it during the playoffs, the Wings win that night. The days that I haven’t, they’ve lost.

Here’s keeping my coffee cup clean every day of the SCF!

Posted by Carl from Phoenix on 05/21/08 at 03:00 PM ET

Most reliable superstition?  Watching clips from previous successful or interesting games, before the game, which means if I’m busy or forget to do it, the game doesn’t end well (a loss, or one of our players has ended up injured, or both).  I can think of only maybe four or five times in the entirety of the last two seasons that this hasn’t remained true, and most of those were in the playoffs, when all superstitions and bets are off… though it means that the teams’ .tv site and NHLVideo on YouTube get a lot more views from me than most other people.

Also, my roommate is good luck to the Flames during the regular season (he’s never seen them lose live), but for the love of god, keep him away from them in the post-season… again, all superstitions and bets are off.

Posted by Jen on 05/21/08 at 03:00 PM ET

When I’m at home watching the game, I have to down an orange Crush soda in a glass bottle. I just started having them with my snacks for when I watched the games. I switched to rootbeer for ..... two games. Then went back to the Crush.

Posted by WingMan19 from Metro Detroit on 05/21/08 at 03:09 PM ET

I have two…keeping my girlfriend happy is the first.  Really - she can sit in the same room and do something else, but if she keeps up with the game minute to minute its no good.  Keeping her happy encompasses a lot of things - getting her dinner on the way home, taking the dogs out during intermissions, not drinking too much (HA)...

The second one is a bit more spiritual - Keeping the good memories of me and my Grandfather watching games.  If something bad happens the day of a game, like my mom’s 10 year old dog dieing (which happened last Saturday) its almost like his spirit is busy with that rather than the Wings, hence a loss.

Posted by eyesris from Asheville, NC on 05/21/08 at 03:17 PM ET

Last year during the Sens playoff push. I had a new Senators toothbrush that I refused to use instead I used my old ratty normal Toothbrush. That is until my wife threw it away and I was forced to use the Sens one. Guess what. They lost that round and I blame it on her

Posted by BigSensFan on 05/21/08 at 03:18 PM ET

In my family, if you get up and leave the room and the Wings score, you’re not allowed back in the room, not only that, but whatever room you were in when they scored, you have to stay there the rest of the game. So if you got up to go to the bathroom, you better take a radio or laptop with you, because if the Wings score while you’re in there, you’ll be there a LOOONGGGG time. And you’re never allowed to say that the Wings will win. That’s a sure jinx.

Posted by Jennemy of the Skate from putting the b*tches in the box on 05/21/08 at 03:23 PM ET

HAH, I don’t know if it actually works since my Sens fell short of the cup last year and managed to fall apart this season, but my superstitious ways involve gambling. I never bet on my own team and if I feel like a loss is coming up I will bet on the opposing team just so its a win win situation. If my team wins and my bet loses, its only money. If my team loses and my bet hits, I’m richer even though it hurts

Posted by Johne on 05/21/08 at 03:37 PM ET

I don’t believe in superstitions, but there is a TREND that I have not washed my Yzerman hockey jersey since the beginning of the playoffs.  Through two games at JLA, and all the games of the playoffs I wear it.  Thankfully there are no offensive odours emanating from it.

It will be retired if/after we win the cup this year, I need to move past the Yzerman years and get a Datsyuk jersey.  For the first time, I will buy an authentic jersey (fight strap and all) and I can’t wait for the New Era fitted caps that will come out if/when we win another cup.

LET’S GO RED WINGS!

Posted by VooX from Behind the Bar in the Hasek Club Car on 05/21/08 at 04:12 PM ET

I’m not superstitious, but for the finals this year, I plan to wear my Wings jersey for every game as a show of support.  We’ll see if it turns out to be a good luck charm!

Go Wings!

Posted by stigay on 05/21/08 at 10:41 PM ET

This year, even though the Bruins got eliminated in the first round, every night they won a game, I made brownies. The night of the third Boston/Montreal game, I popped the brownie mix in the oven ten minutes before the game started, and I was eating one when Savard scored that beautiful OT goal. I was on a trip during game four and had no access to brownie mix or an oven, but for games five and six, I made brownies, and the B’s won. I’m CONVINCED *wink* they could have taken the series if I had made brownies on the night of game seven. Sadly, I was running a one hundred and four degree fever and couldn’t even get out of my bed. I had my dad make brownies for me, but I guess his luck isn’t as good as mine.

Posted by Caity on 05/22/08 at 12:10 AM ET

I haven’t cut my hair or shaved during the playoffs, which seems to be working quite nicely for my Pens…although my hair is getting way too long.

Posted by NHLJeff from Pens fan in Chicago, IL on 05/22/08 at 01:46 AM ET

I have a female friend who doesn’t shave her, uhm…  playoff beard…  until the end of the postseason.  Does that count?

Posted by Hippy Dave from Portland by way of Detroit on 05/22/08 at 12:37 PM ET

This isn’t a hockey related superstition but…some years ago in my teens I was an amateur boxer…before every fight I would listen to Nazareth’s This Flight Tonight…wear the same tighty whitey’s…and eat a tuna sandwhich.

Posted by Mac from Canada on 05/22/08 at 02:22 PM ET

Great stuff so far folks.  As Alanah mentioned in her post, the prizes will be awarded by a random drawing so in other words, we are not judging your comments.

This is our way of thanking KK members for a great year and gives everyone who comments an equal shot at the gift certificates.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/22/08 at 02:26 PM ET

Years of careful, painstaking research have caused me to believe that the Red Wings will definitely lose if I wear any Wings paraphernalia on a game day. Sadly, I’ve carried this superstition over to U of M footbal and hockey too. 

Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 05/22/08 at 02:44 PM ET

I play NHL08 with the Penguins against the opponent. If I win, it’s good omens for the Penguins. If I lose, then I lost so that the real Penguins don’t have to. Oh, and I’m always wearing a Penguins shirt or hat while watching the games. But, never both, as two thing would clearly cancel each other out.

Posted by penguinsfan on 05/22/08 at 02:47 PM ET

I watch the games with my dad.  Towards the end of last year, my mom started watching the games too.  This year we noticed that a lot of times, when she got up to leave the room and the Rangers scored, they’d keep playing well if she stayed out of the room, but would play worse if she came back in.  So we started banning her from returning if they scored while she was out of the room.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 05/22/08 at 03:23 PM ET

Two that have ‘worked’ for me…

Singing both anthems, standing at attention, along with Lyndon Slewidge (only works for home games, and only works if I feel I sung well and wasn’t distracted).

The other started this season. I had gotten a beer bucket/glasses/coasters/bottle opener set with Sens logos all over them. Hadn’t had the chance to open it for a year due to frequent moving without a car. Got frustrated that we couldn’t score against Boston, so I took it out and sat it on my head in protest, which was promptly followed by a goal. In the shootout, I put it on my head, and it was promptly followed by two Sen goals and two Boston misses. I only pulled it out, for fear its luck would run out and I’d have to find another solution, a few other times. It’s luck ran out when I was foolish enough to drink from it. Now I’m waiting for the new season to find a new superstition to use successfully.

Posted by SENShobo from Waterloo, ON on 05/22/08 at 03:27 PM ET

In 2002, I used to trim my playoff beard regularly and things didn’t end up working out as well as they could have for the Canes.

So in 2006, I refused to trim it at all.  Even though I was looking kind of like a billy goat towards mid-June, it was well worth it.

The day after the Canes won the Cup, my boss came into my office and the first words out of his mouth were….“You haven’t shaved yet!?”

(I was up all night partying the night before and was in no mood to shave that morning…*L*)

Posted by Bubba from Raleigh, NC on 05/22/08 at 04:32 PM ET

Hit mute when the opposition goes on a power play.

Knock wood when the commentators say something nice about the Red Wings.

Cry “shut up!” when they say something nice about the opposition.

I try to confine this behavior to the privacy of my home.

Posted by Laura from Chicago on 05/22/08 at 04:48 PM ET

My superstition is a new one, and it happens to be the most reliable.

My fiance’ calls all the games, i listen to her before i bet on games with my friends, and she turns out to be 95% correct everytime.  simply amazing since she never watched hockey before we hooked up.

Posted by callmedrw on 05/22/08 at 08:43 PM ET

Got the playoff beard going which started just prior to Wings/Preds game 1. 

Yzerman t-shirt jersey must be put on as before game but no more than 30 minutes before opening faceoff. 

Find something else to do/watch during intermissions for VS/NBC broadcasts (not so much superstition, mostly due to annoyance of analysis by VS/NBC crew).

Posted by winger19 on 05/22/08 at 09:35 PM ET

im totally going to have to go with the old lucky boxers. pretty lame i know but it happens i suppose. whatever gets it done.

Posted by gosabres123(chris) on 05/22/08 at 09:45 PM ET

My playoff facial scrub starts in February when my college team is in their conference tournament.  The playoff goatee then gets trimmed up to change the luck, although not actually shaved off.  If things are proceeding as needed, it’s left alone, if things start to get rocky…then its time to do something.

Also, I wear no team related gear on game days.  The only time I allow myself to wear anything team related is the day immediately following a series victory. 

I’ve also got a current pair of lucky jeans that haven’t seen a washer or cleaning material of any kind in some time now.  They’re proving to be lucky now at least.  They’d better stay that way for at least a couple of weeks…

Posted by HockeyJoe from NY on 05/22/08 at 11:51 PM ET

Mine is probably the strangest, if I remember to put on my Avs hoodie, we typically win *unless we are playing the Avs* of course my team has never been in the playoffs…maybe I will come up with something better when that happens.

Posted by Bethany on 05/23/08 at 08:13 AM ET

hey, who won this?

Posted by Todzilla on 05/27/08 at 08:42 AM ET

We will be announcing the winners today.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 05/27/08 at 08:43 AM ET

Woohoo!

I think I owe this one to the girlfriend….

Posted by Hippy Dave from Portland by way of Detroit on 05/27/08 at 03:28 PM ET