I haven’t ever been a really superstitious person, or believed in jinxes. I don’t care if you say shutout in the last few minutes of a game. But, over the last week, I have begun to second guess the disbelief that someone away from the actual game can possibly impact what happens on the ice.
I don’t know, but coincidences have popped up, and I kind of feel partly responsible for the injury to Erik Karlsson.
It all started on Hockey Day In Canada…I had worked on a post about Ben Bishop and when he would get to start again. I had been following pretty close, and hadn’t heard a whisper about him starting last Saturday. I publish my article, tweet it out, and BOOM…it gets announced that Bishop was starting that day.
The next day I wrote about Milan Michalek and how he must step up and contribute more in Jason Spezza‘s absence. He goes out and sets up Erik Karlsson’s shorthanded game winner, and all was good. Then he injures himself in warmup on Wednesday.
Feb 13, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) is helped off the ice after being injured during the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Then, like many others, I started touting Erik Karlsson for the Norris and even the Hart, basically proclaiming him and Craig Anderson as already winning the Norris and Vezina respectively. Then heading into the second half of a back to back on the road, I ran a contest to guess how much ice time Karlsson would play. As it turns out, not as much as anyone would have liked. Two periods and then Cooke’s skate slices Karlsson’s leg.
I don’t want to think I am a jinx, because I don’t believe in them. The last week has made me question those beliefs.
Lets just say I won’t be uttering “shutout” on Saturday if Anderson gets close.