It’s time for us all to work our best reverse-jinxes to get Valeri Nichushkin a goal

A bunch of years ago – I think in 2010 against the Cubs – I was doing some hockey off-season coverage help with the Rockies for the Denver Post. Before batting practice, for whatever reason, I have no idea, I told Rockies hitter Brad Hawpe that I thought he would hit two home runs that night. Not one, but two.

And, he did. (My memory is a bit foggy on the exact day, but on July 31, 2010, Hawpe hit two home runs that night for the Rox against the Cubbies. I would have been a few weeks out from the Avs being eliminated from the playoffs by then, by San Jose, and I sometimes helped out with Rockies coverage in those days. I like to stay busy).

I had never talked to Hawpe before that day, nor have I since. I know Hawpe has to remember this, though. I remember him looking at me kind of funny after I told him this. I wasn’t even doing a story on him I don’t think. I think I was just there for BP to gather material for some other feature story. I didn’t stay for the game, never saw him again after that. But I just had…a feeling. Not to spook anyone out here, but I’ve often had premonition feelings in my life over weird things like that, and many of them have happened.

Am I psychic? Well, obviously not, otherwise I would have cashed in about 20 Powerball jackpots by now. And, my wins percentage would be higher than the roughly 60% I’m averaging right now in my daily NHL Three Best Bets for Bookies.com.

But I don’t know, I just get these weird feelings sometimes that something’s gonna happen. Most of the time, I just keep it to myself. That’s what was so weird about the Hawpe encounter. It was like I felt compelled by force to tell him that.

So, the other day in Dallas, I went up to Valeri Nichushkin after the pregame skate and I told him that this would be the night he broke his goal-scoring jinx. And when No. 13 had a golden chance some time early in the game, I was literally ready to jump out of my seat a little. I thought he had it.

But, alas, the puck stayed out for Nichushkin. It has stayed out of the net for 86 straight games for Valeri Nichushkin. Eighty. Six. Games.

Here’s the thing: I didn’t quite fully, 100% believe I’d be right that night on the prediction. I think I wanted to make him feel good. I mean, man, I feel bad for the guy. I’m really rooting for him to score a damn goal. So, I probably forced it a little bit.

If anything I’ve learned about the so-called “DaterJinx” or the “DaterReverseJinx” is – it can’t be forced. They always happen organically. The other thing about the jinxes with me is, I can’t care too much either way. I have to be somewhat detached from whatever it is I think may or may not happen, and that’s when the spooky stuff happens.

So, I may have burned the DaterReverseJinx that I might have had with Valeri Nichushkin. I care now. I want him to score. My god, give the man a break and give him a goal. He was STONE COLD ROBBED of a goal last night against Columbus. He had a two-foot backhander in close that was going to be THE ONE and he was just robbed. I thought he might have tipped in the Avs’ first goal too, but no. Sam Girard got credit for it.

So what I need from all of you is: I want your best Laurie Cabot, Salem Witchcraft in play here to get No. 13 a goal. I know many, many of you have your superstitions. I know many of you believe that if you sat a different way during a game, then it was responsible for the Avs winning. I know that many of you will blame something like your mother walking in during a tie game and the other team scoring and therefore your mom is a jinx and can never be allowed in the room again in a tie game (of course, I have done this before. My poor mother – I truly did blame her a couple of times as a little obnoxious kid for coming into the room and – boom – suddenly the Red Sox would lose the game or the Celtics would lose at the buzzer. I’m sorry mom).

We need to all come together and work a reverse-jinx to get Valeri Nichushkin a goal. Give me your game plan on how YOU will make this happen. I will continue to work privately, in my own way, to make this happen. I still have other tricks up my sleeve. But if I make them public, it’ll be forced too much.

Give me your best superstition stories, too. I know you ALL have one.