This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

DENVER (KDVR) — It’s hard not to get Avs fever during the Stanley Cup Final as the team gets ready for Game 1 Wednesday night at Ball Arena.

Anywhere you look around Denver you’ll see Avalanche promotions in support of the home team to win the most prized trophy in the NHL, the Stanley Cup.

The game of hockey is one of the most exciting spectator sports out there. But if you’re new to the sport, here are a few things to know to be part of the Avs Faithful:

Icing: When the puck is shot past the red center line and reaches the opposing team’s red goal line before a player from that team touches it or it goes in the net to score a goal.

Offsides: When an attacking player goes over the defending team’s blueline before the puck.

Penalties: There are several infractions that can be called during a game. Most penalties are two minutes, which are considered minor penalties. But a double-minor is a four-minute penalty usually when blood is drawn due to the infraction. Major penalties are five minutes and are handed out for severe violations, usually causing bodily injury. The difference between a minor and a major is that if a goal is scored by the team on the power-play, the power-play is over. But if a goal is scored during a major penalty, the extent of the penalty is served in full.

Power-play/penalty-kill: A power-play is a man-advantage play for the team who did not receive a penalty. A penalty-kill is the defense of the team with a man down to get through the penalty time without the other team scoring.

Periods: An NHL game consists of three, 20-minute periods with two intermissions that last for 15 minutes and 30 seconds.

Overtime: If a game is tied at the end of regulation, regular-season overtime begins after a five-minute intermission and consists of three-on-three play until a goal is scored. If it remains a tie after the five minutes, then it goes to a shootout. Not one player can shoot more than once.

Playoff overtime is standard regulation like the regular season, but instead of a five-minute intermission, it’s a full 15 minutes and 30 seconds intermission and another 20-minute period that ends when a goal is scored (sudden death). It is also five-on-five unlike regular-season overtime of three-on-three.