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"He's one of the best at tipping and deflecting shots in front of the net. They got a real leader in Joe Nieuwendyk. He's going to help them."
03/27/02

Every afternoon before a Stars game, center Joe Nieuwendyk likes to take a nap at home from about 1-3 p.m. The nap makes him feel more relaxed and refreshed for the game.

"Everybody likes to have something [to eat] when they wake up," Nieuwendyk says.

He walks to his kitchen. He makes two pieces of toast. Then he puts peanut butter on them. Nieuwendyk can't remember when he has not had peanut butter toast before a hockey game.

"It doesn't vary very often," he says.

Nieuwendyk does not remember how the tradition got started. He thinks he stared out with plain old toast or maybe a muffin. The peanut butter toast tradition sort of evolved. "I probably had a good game that night," he says. "I'm probably not as superstitious as some people are."