NEAR WEST SIDE — Hundreds of Chicago Blackhawks fans flocked to the United Center Tuesday afternoon to get a glimpse of their beloved Stanley Cup champions.
As supporters cheered them on, the Hawks walked into the arena on a red carpet ahead of the first game of the season against the Washington Capitals.
"I wanted to see the players before the game. I wanted to cheer them on before the season began," said Dominique Collins, a 20-year-old fan from the South Loop, who wore a Brandon Saad T-shirt.
The team's second NHL championship in four years was met with cheers and celebration, most notably with a parade and rally that the city said drew 2 million people downtown.
During last season, fans showed their love for the team in a variety of ways, including painting a mural in Portage Park, growing odd-looking mullets, and answering the math problem "9 times 9" in a very creative way.