A blog that uses the "s" word...

Posted 6:55 PM ET | Comments 2

There are lot of things hockey players will say to each other in the heat of competition, none of which can be reprinted here. But there's one dirty word that no one uses, not even Sean Avery: the "s" word.

The "S" word, of course, is shutout. I even feel dirty typing it, and I really hope my Hockeybuzz Id doesn't get suspended for using it. I apologize in advance to any goaltender who reads that word before a game.

Ask any goaltender out there. You don't use the "s" word before or during a game. You can only use the "s" word after it has already happened, and even then, some goalies get the shivers when they hear the word. It's kind of like Fight Club. The first rule about the "s" word is that you don't talk about the "s" word.

The Blue Jackets had s------ the Blues in their previous two meetings, so during the time between the Detroit game and the Columbus game I would say things like this:

(Goalies, feel free to skip this next paragraph.)

The Blue Jackets have quite a SHUTOUT streak going. Pascal LeClaire has 2 SHUTOUTS in a row! He has 5 SHUTOUTS on the season. He has SHUTOUT the Blues for longer than two games now, going back to March.

Of course, Ken Hitchcock caught on and knew not to play LeClaire during the Jackets and Blues third meeting of the season, but it was too late. I had already jinxed the Blue Jackets as a team. Paul Kariya scored towards the end of the first period, and the Blues went on to win.

I recommend using the "s" word as a sabotage technique next time some goaltender is stoning your team left and right. Don't talk about how your team can't score off him. Talk about how many shots he's stopping, how long it's been since your team scored off him, and (most importantly), talk about his s------.

Filed Under: blues blue jackets shutout