The St. Louis Blues will begin their NHL postseason Saturday with a game against Winnipeg, thanks in part to a late-season surge that centered around the mysterious arrival of a talisman familiar to Milwaukee fans.
The Blues recorded a franchise-record 12-game winning streak running from March 15 through April 5. Then, after three straight setbacks, the Blues defeated Utah in the regular-season finale April 15, 6-1, to clinch a playoff berth.
Many players have credited the arrival of a miniature statue of Jobu, the fictional religious artifact from 1989 sports comedy “Major League.” Jobu arrived spontaneously Feb. 22; he now has his own locker and nameplate, and the Blues have begun using him in merchandise.
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In the movie, Jobu serves to inspire good vibes for slugger Pedro Cerrano, portrayed by Dennis Haysbert. The movie, filmed in Milwaukee, has seen some renewed local interest after the January death of legendary broadcaster Bob Uecker, who unforgettably plays foul-mouthed announcer Harry Doyle in the film.
“Uhhh, he’s one of the leaders in the locker room, that’s all I’ll say,” said defenseman Cam Fowler on the team’s web site. “I think he’s been a part of this run for us. So we’ll give him the credit, a little bit of Jobu magic has helped keep this thing alive.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Talisman from ‘Major League’ lifts St. Louis Blues into NHL playoffs