Playoffs... how superstitious are you?

[tvp2003]

It was mentioned in the PGT and a bit in a few other threads as well -- on a scale of 1 (Iginla) to 10 (Crosby), how superstitious are you?

- Iginla was a trophy toucher who actively tried to get people to break their own superstitions.

- Meanwhile, Crosby is borderline OCD with some of the stuff he does (the Joe Vitale story about Sid telling him the same story 16 times in a row during a winning streak is hilarious).

It's been scientifically proven that certain things that fans do can disrupt the hockey biosphere and actually impact the outcome of a game. So in the interests of science, please feel free to share what has worked (or perhaps not worked) for you so far.

[tvp2003]

Personally, I'm happy to report that frequent checks of NHL.com have helped to manifest the last two LA Kings victories (as opposed to checking once a period, which only worked for Game 1).

You're welcome.

[Scornfire]

I don't put on my Jersey until puck drop, I crank In The Dome from my car's ridiculous sound system on my way to work the morning of each game day. This year I've now established I have to watch the games at my Aunt and Uncles (Just a 20m drive so not the end of the world) as we're 2-0 when I watch there and 0-2 when I watch elsewhere.

[Robbob]

Crosby. The difference between me watching and not watching a rival playoff game can impact the score. Pocketdog was consumed for the first Flames game and not in game two. Therefore I will be getting a pocket dog tonight. I wash the Jersey after a loss.

You know, completely rational stuff.

[Samonadreau]

I feel like if I stay calm when the opossing team is pressing it helps to stave off a goal.

[Erick Estrada]

Moderate but I do wear certain items of clothing if I have noticed that my team is winning when I wear it. Could be jersey, t-shirt, sweatpants or socks. I actually watched the game Monday night on Sportsnet West instead of CBC on purpose because that's what channel I tuned into for the series opener. Will be watching again tonight on SNW (fingers crossed).

I also have noticed the Oilers do better when I watch their games so I usually watch the Blues/Wild game and just flip back for the score at commercials. Thought it was safe to tune in when the Kings got up 4-2 but the moment I did the Oilers scored short handed so I turned it off and occasionally score checked and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome in OT.

[OminousFlames]

If the Flames win a game big when I watch them.. I reassess what I did earlier that day, and try to mimic it for future games. Doesn't always work, but it does sometimes. So I can't tell if I have been cursed by the hockey gods or not.

[CroFlames]

Oh I'm Sid-level superstitious.

I will growl at you if you start or participate in the wave if we aren't up by at least 3-4 goals.

If you use the word shutout while we are working on one, I will actively wish for bad things to happen to you.

Then of course my prep work on game days. I'll actively wear the same clothes, eat the same food and drink the same booze to keep wins streaks going.

[Puppet Guy]

The longer the run goes, the more OCD and bizarre it'll get.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Crosby. The difference between me watching and not watching a rival playoff game can impact the score. Pocketdog was consumed for the first Flames game and not in game two. Therefore I will be getting a pocket dog tonight. I wash the Jersey after a loss.

You know, completely rational stuff.

This is a safe space my friend, no judgment here.

[bc-chris]

i keep telling my wife - i'm not superstitious at all - i just have certain routines and rituals that must not change.


the fact that i change up what jersey i'm wearing after a loss is purely a coincidence, and you know, i might just be wearing the same flames hoodie i wore on monday

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Crosby. The difference between me watching and not watching a rival playoff game can impact the score. Pocketdog was consumed for the first Flames game and not in game two. Therefore I will be getting a pocket dog tonight. I wash the Jersey after a loss.

You know, completely rational stuff.

Lol! I'm glad I'm not alone. Let us sing the song of our people!

[Tron_fdc]

2 beers pregame, 2 per period.

That's my only superstition.

Or at least that's what I tell my wife.

[Enoch Root]

I don't believe in superstition, but I never break any of the rules and I do all the superstition things (same jersey, same chair, same <insert anything here> anyway, just in case I am wrong, and it IS a thing.

[Fuzz]

I'm a no fun zero, because my brain won't let me actually believe the colour of underwear I have on has any bearing on results.

[craigwd]

Iginla. Superstitions are dumb.

[Manhattanboy]

Wore my Iggy retirement t-shirt and we won Game 4.

I will be wearing it under my jersey tonight.

[Gaskal]

Most playoff runs we get into I get to about a 8. It would be a 10 but I am sometimes slow to realize the manifestation of what brings good/bad luck.

2004 - Could not listen to 'In the Dome' on game days. Of course my school would play it on the PA on game days, so I had to plug my ears which got me a couple weird looks until I explained that it was a playoff superstition.

2015 - We had a perfect winning home record both rounds when I watched on a dinky little 17" CRT TV in the kitchen.

2018 - Canadian airspace. Had to travel overseas for a wedding. Things seemed to unravel rapidly as soon as I stepped off the boarding tunnel and onto the plane during Game 2, where they tied it with a couple minutes left then MacKinnon pulling a MacKinnon in OT.


2020 - The Cursed TV. Friend had a somewhat dated 55" flatscreen from the early 2010s. We lost every single game that playoffs watching on this TV. Including the one L to the Jets during the play-in. I only clued in after we lost Game 5 but my friend did not believe in the curse. I told him ok fine, if we win this game I'll drop the schtick but if lose this series to this curse... I'm never coming over to watch another playoff game on this TV.

So Game 6 starts, we go up rapidly 3-0, friend goes "See? There's no curse, this superstition stuff is bull". Swear to God almost right that moment that Hintz or someone made it 3-1 and then we proceeded to get dummied by the hockey gods that he mocked so egregiously, another 6 unanswered goals going in past Talbot/Rittich.


2022 - Trying to figure out what works so far still. But I'm wearing the same Flames t-shirt I had on when we won Game 4. Games 1-3 was the Reebok Home Red jersey.

[Nsd1]

Iginla during the regular season, more Crosby in the playoffs.

[Buff]

I used to be very superstitious. Crosby has never had nothin' on what I used to be like.

Now I've taken lessons from Iginla and taught him more.