Game #15: Chicago Blackhawks (March 27, 2015)
March 28, 2015
United Centre is one of the few rinks where I attended a game before I took this trip, and it did not disappoint. It’s called the “Madhouse on Madison” for a reason, and the biggest reason is how much noise the fans make, whether it’s during the singing of the national anthem, or when the Blackhawks score a goal, the fan noise is deafening.
As you enter the United Centre, there is a statue of 6 players from 6 different eras directly in front of the building. Off to the side of the building are the famous statues of Bobby Hull and Stan Makita. My brother John, and his wife Isabel joined me for game 15 of my 30-day trip, and they are shown in front of these two statues.
I was asked to do an interview prior to the game to talk about my trip, and the charitable attachment to Make-A-Wish. I hope the exposure helps drive the donations to my goal of $30,000..00. Pictured below, I ran into a young fan who brought a sign to the game, listing each player on the Blackhawks roster. I love the passion fans have for the game, and this young fan is a great example of a hockey fan!
In the pre-game skate, I captured some cool shots of some interaction between Brent Seabrook and his young son, first with Seabrook skating by for a touching hello to his young son, and then his teammate Andrew Shaw having some fun with his teammate’s son. Neat to catch a glimpse of the human side of these NHL players for such a brief moment.
With the pre-game skate finished, I could hardly wait for the singing of the American national anthem, and it without a doubt the loudest building for this ceremony. And carrying on to the game, the fans are loud and vocal throughout the game, and there’s nothing like hearing the Blackhawks fans sing the Chelsea Dagger song after they score a goal. Unfortunately, I only got to hear the fans sing twice tonight, as they went down in defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 5-2.
Despite the loss, I had a great time at the game. There’s nothing like being in an “original six” team arena. The fans are passionate, knowledgable, and loyal. And even though the venues change, the history of the team (captured by statues, banners, etc.) is commemorated and recognized by their home team fans.
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