Stanley Cup run superstitions

During the Penguins' Stanley Cup run, players followed certain personal rituations -- like not shaving -- to keep the team on track to victory.

What rituals or superstitions did you follow to support the team during the NHL playoffs?

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 I am a Pittsburgher now living near philly.  For each game I wore a Primanti Brothers shirt to feel close to the Burgh.  As they kept winning I, of course, couldn't wash the shirt so it was a little rank after two months. As soon as Game 7 was over my wife made me throw it in the washing machine!

I am normally very superstitious. I normally don't wear jerseys or team T-shirts for big games (Steelers or Penguins). Instead I'll wear Penn State Tees or something Pensylvania related.

This year it didn't work our too well during the Finals. So I broke with tradition and wore a Penguins T-shirt for the first home game, the a Penguins jersey during the second home game.

I also wore a Pens T-shirt during their 5-0 loss in Det. I considered going back to my old superstitions.

But I didn't, and I wore Penguins Tees for the rest of the series.

Does this mean that I've beaten my superstions, I doubt it.

We will see when Football season starts.

 Each series had a different ritual.  For the finals, I had to have a hot dog and a can of pepsi and watch at least one period by myself...at home (which by the way, every time this was done, they won).  My sister's ritual was that their homemade Stanley Cup had to be on their dining room table.  Another friend's ritual was watching the game at the same bar and drinking the same wine.

I mention all of these because I later learned that none of us were able to perform our "rituals" prior or during Saturday's game which resulted in a devastating 0-5 loss.  So in a way, I feel partly responsible. 

I wore a Pens practice jersey my wife got me for Christmas for games 1 & 2 of the Caps series.  After throwing it on the chair across the room, it stayed there the remainder of the playoffs.  My street hockey stick rested across the top of the TV the entire series.  I had to sit on the middle cushion of the sofa.  The whole family wore our game jerseys for game 1 of the finals.  They went back in the closet and we made sure not to wear anything with the Pens logo during the games.  Being a W PA native in Central PA, we find there are loads of Pens fans out here to overshadow the Caps and Flyers fans.  We just wish Comcast would realize this and give us more coverage of the games.  It is great to listen to Mike Lange on the web though.

 I wore my Penguin earirings and Maxime shirt for each game.  I refused to go anywhere to watch the games because I had to be on my couch, my spot, so not to jinx the team.  No one could talk me out of it.  Every conversation is ended with - Go Pens. 

PG Admin1:

During the Penguins' Stanley Cup run, players followed certain personal rituations -- like not shaving -- to keep the team on track to victory.

What rituals or superstitions did you follow to support the team during the NHL playoffs?

To post your comments, sign in or join. All comments must be family-friendly; please read our Guide to Commenting.

 

 I never wore any Pens attire during the whole season.  I even was ridiculed for wearing red during game 6 (didn't have time to go home from work and change).  I borrowed my son's shirt for game 7.  It was all or nothing Friday night.  It was his Satan T-shirt I bought him for Christmas and when I saw Satan come into the game... I knew we would win that Stanley Cup!  Well, my co-workers are at the parade and I'm here at work!!!  Thank you, Pens, for Lord Stanley!

 It's hard to top this one.  The Pens were 8-0 in the playoffs when i watched the games at Hooters.  8-8 when watching at home.  I've had some success in the past watching the games there so I desparate when down 0-2 to the Caps.  I watched games 3,4, and 7 of the Caps series, Game 1 of the Canes series and games 3,4, 6, and 7 of the Finals.  I thought maybe it was the hat I was wearing so I tried that at home for game 5 and that sure didn't work.  The lousy food at Hooters was well worth watching the team win the cup.

 I had my all of my hats arranged a certain way, plus I had to hear the radio pregame show

I hear ya with the Penguins t-shirt.  My mom bought me a crosby t-shirt 2 years ago and I never wear Pens stuff on game day I wait til the next day.  Well come-on it's the Stanley Cup finals so I was wearing it every day before the game then when that didn't always work my boyfriend and I came up with our own 'routine' and we swept Carolina. Then the first 2 games we lost to Detroit we had broken routine because I was sick. Well I mustard it up and took it for the team the rest of the finals, we all tried our best game 5 but that was just not meant to be and how much sweeter is it now anyway that we beat Detroit on their home ice and now they know what we felt like last year.  Let's not forget that my cat is include he gets pre-game treats and every time we score he gets them too.  The vet says he always know when the Penguins are in the playoffs because my cat gains weight.  Oh well we all make the sacrifices we do to support our boys!!

 I had too many. It got insane! LOL. Examples: I noticed Pens were scoring when I was out of the TV room during a game early in the playoffs, I stopped watching that game!!!! It must have worked, they won that game!!

Just before Game 7 our Blizzard in the Bugh Fan T shirts showed up via UPS. Wife and I both wore them. I had game on TV in two different rooms, each side of the house. Pens scored 2nd period when I was in one room so I stayed in that room the rest of the game. 

Precious came in, flashed her shirt at me in solidarity of the Pens team,  Detroit scores from far right side. I did not say anything, but I did not get near her for the rest of the game just in case the t shirts together had anything to do with that Detroit score. INSANE...

Bottomline, we won so it worked I guess!!! Go Pens David in California

Alexander Moose had to stay penned up in his room! He was bad luck! Hahaha!

Watched Young Blood.  Before every game.  Ugh.  "You don't want stitches in [Pittsburgh P.A.]!"

Just curious - last year I had so many and they still lost and coupling that with the fact that I work in Va Beach w/ a Detroit guy I actively gave up all of them.  Problem is, it drove me more batty thinking about NOT doing them that I did them.  Although two habits now crept in.  For Game 7 against the Craps I wore a Malkin tee under a Crosby jersey, so natch I had to wear that again in 90 degree weather on Friday.  Also, for Game 6 of the Finals I had a Diet Green tea between the first and second intermissions so I had to repeat this for Game 7.  Problem is, I have a quirk about not getting up except during intermission when things are going good or else something bad will happen (this will never go away).  Combined with the tension of both games, this was not easy (I think you know what I'm getting at).  Does anyone else go to these lengths?

Growing the beard was a no brainer as was wearing my white 1997 Lemieux jersey. However, when the Pens lost game 1 of the Caps series, I trimmed the beard. Not completely, just a little. So, as you can imagine, the trimmers came out again after game 1 of the Wings series.

After game 5 of the Wings series, desperate times called for desperate measures. So I thought Myron might be able to help and grabbed my beloved Terrible Towel, kept it hanging out my pocket during game 6. Put it back in the same place after the game and sure enough had it in my pocket during game 7 as well.

Pittsburghers know the towels power - just another case in point.