Etiquette for fans during the Stanley Cup Finals.

1) Do not speak about winning the Stanley Cup until your team has won it.
2) If you are growing a playoff beard in solidarity with your team, do not shave it off. You may trim it but you must keep the beard growing.
3) Do not display or touch effigies of the Stanley Cup including, but not limited to, replicas made from cardboard and aluminum foil, inflatable versions, artistic renditions, etc.
4) Do not express overconfidence in your team or show disrespect for the opposition that has not been warranted. Honest discussions about the matchup are allowed as long as they are, of course, honest.
5) Do not make predictions about the outcome of the series. Do not predict your team will win the series or you risk jinxing them.
6) All games already played are in the past and should not be discussed or used as evidence to support your belief that your team is superior.
7) Rituals from prior series should be maintained. For example, if you drank a beer during each period or wore a lucky jersey you must do the same in the finals. Never look ahead. Never assume that any lead in any game is safe. Never make plans for victory parties even if your team is up in the series 3-0.
9) Team history is team history. This year’s finals stand alone. No amount of discussing history, trends and stats spanning decades will bring anything good. Do not discuss what once was. All that matter is what is now.
10) Do NOT sport merchandise proclaiming your team as “Conference Champs”. Much like the players do not touch the conference trophies for fear of jinxing their team, fans should not bask in their team’s previous accomplishment. Conference Championships mean nothing. All that matters is the Stanley Cup.