Squirt

"Braden Holtby #70 of the Washington Capitals in action against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at the Verizon Center on December 7, 2013 in Washington, DC."

I've blogged about superstition in sports before - and this one by Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals recently caught my eye.

During stoppage of play, the long haired Holtby flips his mask up, grabs his classic ice hockey water bottle and squirts it into the air before taking a drink or dousing his hair.

Apparently, these are one of many of what his fans call a Holtbyisms. There are many others, but this was the most visual I saw after being told about them all.

Whatever others they call it, I'll continually be interested in superstition and the deeper meaning behind them. There is a reason these athletes are playing at the highest level, but does it have anything to do with their sometime quirky repetitions?