Blackhawks Parade Draws Massive Crowd In Chicago

Whether they were true hockey fans or just wanted to celebrate on a beautiful day, million s of people turned out for Friday’s Chicago Blackhawks parade to celebrate the team’s Stanley Cup victory.

Decked out in red, the crowd hoisted banners that read, “Thank you, guys” and “Best 17 seconds of my life” — a reference to the two late goals the Blackhawks scored to clinch the title.

It is the second time in four seasons that the Blackwhawks have come home with the Stanley Cup, and forward Patrick Sharp suggested he wants many more. Sharp asked the crowd, “What do you say we get back here and do it again next year?”

Addressing the gathered crowd, captain Jonathan Toews commented, “This shows how unbelievable this city is. Unbelievable. Thank you.” The Blackhawks rode to the parade in red, open-topped buses. The parade traveled from the United Center to a rally downtown at Grant Park, where Toews hoisted the Stanley Cup into the air.

Along with their parade, the Blackhawks took time out on Friday to thank the Boston Bruins for their hospitality. Using a full-page ad in the Boston Globe, the Blackhawks wrote:

“On behalf of the Chicago Blackhawks organization and the entire Wirtz Corporation, we want to personally express our heartfelt appreciation to your city, the Bruins organization, and especially, the citizens of Boston for the remarkable welcome you showed our team and the many Chicagoans who visited.”

Along with their thanks, the Blackhawks also mentioned Boston’s spirit in the wake of the deadly Boston Marathon bombings in April. Along with winning the franchise’s fifth Stanley Cup, this year’s Blackhawks team also set and NHL record by scoring at least one point in the first 24 games of the lockout-shortened season.

The team ended up finishing with the best record in the league — a good thing for Chicago sports fans suffering from poor seasons with the Cubs and White Cox.

[Image via Twitter]