Athletes are a superstitious lot, and perhaps hockey players the worst. And it's no wonder, given that playoff games can turn on a lucky play and careers are made or broken in the blink of an eye. The stakes are high, and when the pressure is on, there's no limit to what NHL fans, players and coaches will do to ensure their team performs its best. We all know about the playoff beards - they're a sure sign that Stanley Cup hockey has arrived. And hockey sticks! Players fret over them more than any other piece of equipment. Even the Great One wasn't immune to superstitions. After warm-up, Wayne Gretzky would head back to the dressing rooom and drink four beverages in a particular order: Diet Coke, then ice water, Gatorade, then a second Diet Coke. But these examples of hockey superstitions are just the tip of the iceberg. From octopi tosses to game-day meals, from dressing room rituals to pre-game warm-up routines, Andrew Podnieks explores the fascinating and fun world of hockey superstitions: their origins , their quirkiness, their mythology.