Kariya Had a Plan to Be Hands Off

We all have our superstitions.

When the Mighty Ducks won the Clarence Campbell Bowl, awarded to the NHL’s Western Conference champion, captain Paul Kariya refused to touch it, presumably following a tradition dictating that the only hockey prize worth toting around the ice is the Stanley Cup.

But if the New Jersey Devils win the Eastern Conference title, captain Scott Stevens won’t hesitate to lift the Prince of Wales Trophy.

“I think it’s an honor to win that trophy,” he said Monday.

“And I think it would be a shame not to have a picture with it, at least. To win that, it’s a pretty big thing....

“I guess everybody’s got their own theories about it.”

Stevens’ theory is based on this: Three years ago, he cradled the conference trophy and the Devils went on to beat the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup finals; two years ago, he shunned it and the Devils lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

Next year’s conference winners probably won’t know what to do with it.

-- Jerry Crowe