Hockey Weirdness

If you're a hockey fan, you'll know what this is about.

If you and I have spent anytime hanging out online or in person, chances are you know there are few things in life I love watching and doing... aside from fishing, there's hockey. 

Hockey lives in my blood. It's an obsession that has been a part of my life since Trevor Linden and KVOS Kids had a Canucks fan club. Those were the days.

Now-a-days you can find me at the rink once or twice a night, watching most TV broadcasts of Canucks games (or having it on in the background, since they've been less than desirable to watch this season) or playing the odd game of NHL 14. Thankfully my wife doesn't mind it, much.

When I play hockey, I have some strange traditions/rituals/superstitions that I follow. Why? I have no idea, but it's all part of enjoying a night out at the rink.

I have a weird pre-game list of things I go through: I pack my gear in my hockey bag a certain way. Gloves have to be on one side of the bag, helmet the other, shin pads get stacked on top of each other, etc. After that I make sure tape on my sticks are perfect. Any blemishes and I rip it off, UNLESS, the last game was a win and I happened to get a couple points. Then the tape stays. Before the game I sometimes will have the Gatorade Prime (basically a sack of water and sugar and Gatorade goodness) but lately it's been fruit - mostly oranges. 

When I get dressed for hockey I have weird rituals too. I wear my socks a certain way and put my gear on right to left. Why? I have no idea. My mouth guard gets tucked into my left glove when I head out to the ice. After the game, gear comes off left to right. Most cases a beer after the game is consumed, a beer after a hockey game is the best kind of beer.

Do you have any sports related rituals/superstitions that you follow? Any particular reason why?