Keyboard Quarterbacks

By Jonathan McCarthy

Growing up as a hockey goalie I learned to be superstitious. I studied the way Patrick Roy talked to the posts. I learned to put my equipment on the same way every day. I never let my sticks lay across each other and I always said the same thing as my teammates lined up to hit my pads before each game. “Stay strong.”

While being superstitious is not unique to hockey (every see a pitcher step on the baseline?) it is widely accepted that someone who decides to lace up skates has something unique going on inside their head. Watch how none of the Islanders or Rangers will shave as long as they are in the playoffs.

So after the Islanders won four-straight games to make the playoffs I looked back at what was similar about each win. A while you can point out the heroics from Dube and Richard Park or the toughness of Ryan Smyth, the one thing I came back to was my Satan 81 t-shirt.

I was wearing it under my jersey at the Coliseum that Tuesday against the Rangers. I had it on Thursday as I watched the Maple Leafs game. I wore it Saturday as they played the Flyers and as I listened to the Canadiens game. Finally, I had it on under my Easter clothes.

My wife, who knows I am crazy, washed it for me every other day. She did marry a goalie after all. The problem was I didn’t wear it on Thursday when they were in Buffalo. I don’t have a good reason for that. I actually was supposed to be at a Mets game, ended up working late and by the time I got home the game had already started.

No excuse. While I know there is no chance that what I wear has an impact on the game, I think it does. I had it on last night and look what happened.

Needless to say, I will have it on Monday at the game. Now, if only I could find something to help the Thrashers too.