It’s NHL Playoff season, and if you’re a hockey fan like I am, April-June can be pretty darn stressful great. Fear not! Diva’s here with 5 must-haves in order to get through a harrowing playoff series.

Superstitions

Look, they may not work, but they make us feel better. Whether it is a lucky shirt, a certain path to the locker room or a non-washed Terrible Towel, superstitions, much like routines, can make hockey fans feel as if they have some sort of control over the outcome of their favorite team’s game (even if there’s no way me wearing that same tee shirt really has any say over score…or does it??).

A Team to Cheer For

Only one team can win the Stanley Cup and sometimes it won’t be your fave. That’s okay! While your boys are on the golf course enjoying an early summer, maybe you can cheer on your second (third or thirteenth) favorite team just this once. You never know. You might find a particular player, coach or fan base you enjoy and expand your hockey horizons…at least until the regular season starts again.

Respect for the Playoff Beard

I know it’s weird, but many professional hockey players do not shave during their playoff run. The longer the run, the longer the beard gets, hopefully leading to manly looking chin hair–oh, and a Stanley Cup. The powerful myth surrounding the power of the playoff beard is a NHL superstition that runs through, on some level, every team, regardless of age or creed or ability to actually grow a beard and it’s one of my favorite things about the Cup run. Some teams even shave their beards off after playoffs for charity, click the link to donate.

Fan Gear

We talk a lot about Geek Chic here on The Collective, but no time is more important than playoffs for fan gear. I took a soft poll on Twitter recently, just to find out how many fans get decked out in team jerseys on game day at home or work, and the number of pics and responses I got astounded me!

A lot of multi-team fans switch it up during the first round, showing love to all their faves the entire way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Don’t feel like a dork for wearing your team colors during playoffs. Send those good vibes and let other hockey fans know how much you love your boys, whether they’re playing in the final series or not.

The MUTE Button

Playoffs are approximately three months of intense hockey and, if you’re watching multiple teams, you could be watching a game or two a night, four to six times a week. Seriously, sometimes it’s okay to take a break. Turn off the telly, mute Twitter, go outside, take a walk, play with the dog, read a book, cook a meal. Chances are, you’ll feel less freaked out when your team is losing (or winning) if you’re doing something besides screaming at the television. It sucks when your faves don’t make it to their next series, but it’s just a game. Really. NO, REALLY!! Take some time for yourself outside of hockey fandom so that you can gear up to cheer for the next one.

xoxo C. Diva

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