Live Blog: Blackhawks Rally

On the road again    Permalink 2:39 p.m.

Patrick Kane takes the Stanley Cup from the field following the celebration of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship in Grant Park. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Tips on recreating the hairdo many women sported during Friday's Blackhawks parade and rally.

Fans rejoice at a spray mist set up by fire officials after the downtown parade and rally today as Chicago celebrated the Blackhawks' NHL championship.. (Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune)

By 1 p.m., the rally largely over, the Fire Department had treated at least 91 people, taking 42 of them to hospitals. Most of the cases were heat-related.

The Fire Department had deployed large mobile fans to spray the crowds with a water mist to help cool them off.

Liam Ford

The Chicago Blackhawks celebrate with thousands of fans during the Stanley Cup celebration rally at Grant Park. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Chicago police estimated that more than 2 million people turned out along the parade route and at the rally in Grant Park today, more than the turn-out for the Stanley Cup celebration in 2010.

Liam Ford

A south suburban man was arrested at a rally checkpoint in the Loop around noon after police found two loaded guns on him, one in his pocket and one in his backpack.

The 37-year-old man, from Matteson, was walking in the 100 block of North LaSalle Street when he was stopped by police officers because he had a “large backpack,’’ police said. A search turned up two guns, one small and the other a .9mm handgun.

The man was in a crowd of people headed toward the Hawks rally. Charges were pending.

Rosemary Regina Sobol
Star power 1:07 p.m.

Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane on stage during the Stanley Cup celebration rally. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Blackhawks fans, some with replica Stanley Cups, exit Grant Park following a rally to celebrate the champion Chicago Blackhawks. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune)

After team members took turns hoisting the cup on stage, and fans sang alone to a celebratory rendition of “Chelsea Dagger,” the rally ended and the crowd began making their way out of the park.

Traffic was stopped in both directions on Lake Shore Drive after the rally.

One driver complained that southbound traffic eventually got going but northbound traffic remained halted for more than 35 minutes near Roosevelt.
 

Robert McCoppin

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford gives his speech during a rally for the Stanley Cup champions in Grant Park.  (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Still sporting a mullet but without a playoff beard, Patrick Kane thanked fans for the homecoming party. 
 
"The only reason this day is fun is because of you guys," Kane said."It makes hockey fun."

Kane then pulled out the wrestling championship belt that the team traditionally has given to unsung heroes.

"I think it  should go to the best player in the playoffs," the post-season MVP said before handing it to goalie Corey Crawford.

A clearly excited Crawford hoisted the belt above his head and then the fun began. He dropped a Shaw-esque F-bomb while praising his teammates for diligently working a certain part of their anatomy.

"No one will ever take this away from us. We're the champs," he said before wrapping the rally's most memorable speech. 

Jonathan Toews shows off the Stanley Cup as the Chicago Blackhawks celebrate with fans in Grant Park.  (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune)

Team captain Jonathan Toews capped the proceedings, starting with, “Wow. It’s tough to follow that speech by Corey Crawford.”

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “For the guys that that were here in 2010, we didn’t think there was a chance we could outmatch that performance by the fans, but you guys did somehow. This shows how unbelievable this city is. Unbelievable. Thank you.

“I can’t think of a better team, a better bunch of guys to represent this city, hard-working guys, down-to earth guys that go out there and play for each other every single shift, who represent this city and what it means right here.”

“Bringing the Stanley Cup home twice in four years is unbelievable. Thank you!”

With that, the crowd broke into the “Doo do do doos” of “Chelsea Dagger, the confetti flew and the party began.

Robert McCoppin

Not everyone is basking in the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup win at Grant Park.

Hundreds of fans opted to watch the victory rally on a two-story screen near the intersection of Dearborn and Washington streets.

"I could see what it looks like there," said Karen Fletcher of Downer's Grove, pointing to the packed rally on the screen. "I knew we weren't getting close."

The 47-year-old mom was watching her 6- and 8-year-old children but said her older kids had ventured toward Grant Park. "I bet they're having fun," she said with a laugh.

Mike Stoymoff of St. Charles also passed on making the trek through the crowds to Grant Park.

"One of my buddies went down there and said it was shoulder-to-shoulder," said Stoymoff, 23, who motioned toward the sea of red on the screen. "As you can see, that's why."

Other fans were still stuck between the screen and Grant Park. Loop retiree Mike Christie said he understood police had the "right intentions" in mind with the barricades on Washington Street.

"But when the dust settled, they should have told people (the parade) was going by at 40 miles per hour," he said. "I know safety was a priority ... but I've got to observe it factually."

Patrick Svitek

Chicago Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp, the first player to speak at the Grant Park rally, hoists the Stanley Cup. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

The first player to speak was  Patrick Sharp.

“We just want to say thank you for coming out and supporting us all season long. You guys make the United Center and the city of Chicago the best place to play in the NHL.”

“We’ve got a special team here, a special organization, a special group of people, helping us celebrate tonight, and we’re just so proud we can bring this to the city of Chicago.”

Noting that the city waited 49 years and three years between previous Stanley Cups, Sharp said, “What do you say we get back and do it again next year?

One of the biggest ovations went to goalie Corey Crawford.

Robert McCoppin

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville hoists the Cup during the Stanley Cup celebration rally in Grant Park. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Coach Joel Quenneville kept it short and sweet when addressing the crowd.

After thanking the entire Blackhawks organization for their work this season, the coach promised it would be a great summer.

"The best part about winning this championship is sharing it with you, the fans," he said.

Stacy St. Clair

Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull is introduced during the Blackhawks rally at Grant Park. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman thanked the fans for helping him to celebrate his birthday.

“It’s been an amazing run playing hockey in front of you,” he said. “We are fortunate to have the support of the greatest fans in the world.”

“As I stand hear today and look at the crowd and see people as far as the eye can see, I can say without a doubt this has to be the greatest birthday celebration ever.”

Foley introduced a roll call of past Hawks stars including Tony Esposito, Dennis Savard and Bobby Hull.

Buses carrying the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, including Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough (right of cup) arrive at the city's rally in Grant Park.  (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Hawks owner Rocky Wirtz took the stage to say he had just one minute and 17 seconds to speak – the amount of time the Hawks needed to score two goals to win the last game and take the cup.

“To our guys, our players, thank you.” He said. “Thank for making these tears of joy.”

Gov. Pat Quinn declared the day Chicago Blackhawks Day.

“We’re really really proud for an unforgettable season,” he said. “Thanks Rocky, thanks Blackhawks!”

Quinn was greeted with boos from the crowd.

Robert McCoppin

Blackhawk fans celebrate the season during a rally in Grant Park for the Stanley Cup champions. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune)

Following a stirring rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” the crowd chanted “USA! USA!”

Hawks announcer Pat Foley started the rally program by recounting highlights of the season: the Hawks set a National Hockey League record by starting the year 21-0-3, won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best record in the regular season, and won the 5th Stanley Cup in the team’s history.

“These playoffs were as crazy as any have ever been,” he said.

He noted repeat overtime playoff victories, a comeback from a 3-1 game deficit against the Detroit Red Wings, and Patrick Kane’s hat trick to defeat the defending champion Los Angeles Kings.

Robert McCoppin

The Chicago Blackhawks took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe today thanking the Bruins and the city of Boston.

Signed by team chairman Rocky Wirtz and president and CEO John McDonough, the letter opens with a salute to their rivals in the Stanley Cup Final for displaying respect and good sportsmanship:

"Hockey is a tough game. As impressed as we were by the strength, talent and competitive spirit of the Boston Bruins on the ice, we were deeply touched by what happened off the ice. Rarely have we experienced the hospitality you afforded us throughout the playoff series between two incredibly gifted teams."

Read the letter.

A Chicago Blackhawks fan cools off in Grant Park while waiting for the arrival of the team to celebrate the Stanley Cup champions. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune)       

As of 11:30 a.m., 11 people had been taken to hospitals by ambulances, primarily for heat exhaustion, according to Larry Langford, a Chicago Fire Department spokesman.

Paramedics were in the process of responding to about a dozen other calls in different locations along the parage route, Langford said.

Twenty people, he said, have been checked on the scene by paramedics before continuing to celebrate.

"Sometimes they just need to cool off in the ambulance and go back in the crowd," said Langford.

Jeremy Gorner

Jim Cornelison sings the National Anthem on stage during the Stanley Cup celebration rally. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Hawks are not on the stage yet, but the party has gotten under way.

The rally began begins with the National Anthem, led by James Cornelison, who has led United Center crowds in "The Star-Spangled Banner" since 1996.

Per Hawks tradition, fans screamed and clapped throughout the entire song. 
 

Fans wait to enter Grant Park from Michigan Avenue and Congress Expressway for the Blackhawks rally.   (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

Things are getting a little testy out there.
 
The crowds have become rowdy, even angry at times, when some fans tried to maneuver through the cheering masses.

Shortly before the double decker buses rode along Washington -- carrying Blackhawks stars Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and other players --- some fans met others revelers with resistance when they wouldn't stand still.

"A lot of people have been trying to come through," said one fan who had been standing under a canopy for about 20 minutes without being able to move anywhere, "and I'd say 'no, you can't come through. It's not even worth it...People are very forceful on coming through."

Ethan Spalding and Wyatt Jason, both 18 and from Glenview, had been surrounded on the street for about an hour, struggling to move to the front of the crowd at Washington and Wabash, let alone Grant Park.

"We've been trying to move that way," said Jason, motioning toward Washington. "But now were a bit stuck."

The two 18-year-olds from Glenview had been getting pushed and shoved, and saw several fans tell people they weren't allowed to walk past them.

"There was actually a woman who tried to tried to push her way through with a baby," Wyatt recalled.

Jeremy Gorner

The players began getting off the buses and walking toward the rally stage shortly after 11 a.m. as fans roared their support.

Blackhawks players are photographed by friends and relatives after boarding a parade bus at the United Center. (John J. Kim)

The Hawks buses passed Daley Center and paused on Columbus Avenue at Millenium Park before getting to Grant Park.

The cup was moved briefly to the front of the bus allowing better visibility, as machines blew confetti onto the passing players.

As the motorcade moved past, fans lining the street began flocking toward Hutchinson Field for the rally.

Many of the players were newly shaven. Duncan Keith said he had to cut his beard, after observing a Hawks tradition to stop shaving during the playoffs.

“I had to shave mine off,” Keith said. “It was getting itchy.”

Robert McCoppin

Blackhawks player Jonathan Toews lifts the Stanley Cup on a parade bus outside the United Center. (John Kim, Chicago Tribune)
 

 

Ambulances called 10:53 a.m.

A Blackhawks fan is assisted by medical personnel as the crowd grows for the celebration of the Chicago Blackhawks at Grant Park. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Ambulances at Columbus Drive and the Congress Parkway responding to several reports of heat exhaustion. 

If this is Ferris Bueller's Day off, then the key is not getting busted playing hooky.

That's why Hawks fan Matt won't give us his last name. That's also why he arranged "business meetings" around the same time as the downtown parade. 

"I can flex my schedule, so I did," said the 33-year old executive, who wouldn't give his name for fear his bosses wouldn't like his decision. "I enjoy the Blackhawks' team energy and spirit. I wasn't going to miss this."

Matt joined hundreds of other office workers dressed in business attire, executives and administrators that crowded along the route with other fans.

One dapper attorney wore a Blackhawks sweater under the blazer to his pin-stripped suit, along with a collared shirt and tie. His law firm is south of West Washington, he said. He started his day at court and then called his bosses to say that the street closures were keeping him away from his business.

"This is a once in a lifetime event," he said, refusing to give his name too. "I don't know if the judges like it. Or the clients being billed, but I'm happy."

Lolly Bowean

As the city of Chicago joined in the celebration of the Blackhawks' 2013 Stanley Cup championship, Hawks players, members of the organization, family and friends boarded red tourist buses in a United Center parking lot with the Stanley Cup in tow on a bright and sunny morning.

Fans lined the streets surrounding the United Center and stretching to Grant Park to share in the joy of the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup title and second in four years.

The Tribune's Chris Kuc was among media members ridng in a trolley as part of the Hawks' caravan, gaining an up-close perspective on the festivities. Via Twitter (@ChrisKuc), Here are some of Kuc's observations from the caravan:

*Things are running a bit behind schedule here at the United Center as we wait for the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup parade to begin.

*Blackhawks fans cheering the media trolley as it goes by on the Stanley Cup parade route. So, there's obviously some drinking going on.

*Washington crowded with#Blackhawks fans about six or seven deep along parade route.

 

 

Precious cargo 10:25 a.m.

Some of the many trophies the Blackhawks won this season are loaded onto buses for the City of Chicago's rally in Grant Park to salute the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.  (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

Homemade fun 10:18 a.m.

A young Blackhawks fan brings his homemade Stanely Cup trophy to the Grant Park rally. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Jonathan Toews lifts the Stanley Cup for the first time of the day after boarding a parade bus at the United Center.   (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Buses carrying the Hawks are pulling out from the United Center. Jonathan Toews is holding the Stanley Cup aloft in the first bus.

Blackhawks players head to parade buses at the United Center. (John J. Kim,  Chicago Tribune)

Shortly after 10 a.m., the Hawks waited for the parade to begin on top of double decker buses outside the United Center.

“It’s awesome,” Hawks defenseman Brent Seabrook said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to bring the Cup back here.”

Commenting on the parade preparations and the recent days of celebration, Seabrook said, “The city of Chicago did a great job. The fans and everybody coming out is awesome.

“It’s been a whirlwind. Its been a lot of parties. … It’s been pretty cool to take the Cup around and share it with the fans of Chicago and drink some beer out of it."

Staff report

It seems everyone is on the Blackhawks bandwagon --both literally and figuratively.

Blackhawks fans riding the 146 bus downtown this morning stepped onto a bus decked out with red streamers and black and red star balloons. The bus driver, Tina, bought the supplies Thursday night and decorated the bus early Friday morning.

"We get so many complaints; Sometimes it is nice to do something nice," said Tina, who wore a Blackhawks hat and earrings. She said she has become a hockey fan "lately," and smiled as riders took pictures with the balloons.

"It's been a lot of fun," she said.

Jodi Cohen

Gov. Pat Quinn poses with fans outside United Center this morning. (Patrick Svitek, Chicago Tribune)

Before heading to the United Center, Quinn appeared on the Jonathon Brandmeier Show on WGN-AM radio and urged Bryan Bickell's father, Bill, to convince his son to re-sign with the Blackhawks when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month. 

Quinn even half-jokingly offered the Ontario-based Bickell family the opportunity to stay at the governor's mansion in Springfield and sleep in the Lincoln bedroom if it helped sway the left winger's decision.

Whatever it takes, right Hawks fans?

Patrick Svitek

While police directed hundreds of thousands of fans south on Wabash under the elevated trains, the crowd came to a halt when Chicago police sealed off access past Washington Street.

Fans shot videos with their cell phones as mock Stanley Cups were hoisted over the crowd.

The crowd got fired up when several charter buses headed east on Washington. Some even shouted repeatedly, "LET'S GO HAWKS! LET'S GO HAWKS!"

Brian Stolarz, 21, and his friend, Amanda Albin, 20, were focused on figuring out a way to maneuver south of the barricade. Stolarz spoke briefly with a traffic aide who couldn't do much for him.

"Basically, he said if you want to get over there, try to find a police officer because they've got more authority," said Stolarz, of northwest Indiana.

Still, Stolarz, clad in his red Blackhawks t-shirt and sunglasses, admitted that he knew what he was getting into when he decided to battle the crowd. Considering two million fans attended the rally after the Blackhawks title in 2010, he was aware the crowd could get just as big, if not bigger.

"You just kind of have to go with it," he said.

Jeremy Gorner

The NHL trophies collected by the Blackhawks in the 2013 season, including William M. Jennings Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, President's Trophy, Frank J. Selke Trophy, the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, and the Stanley Cup (inside case) are wheeled to an awaiting bus.  (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

Dozens of Blackhawks fans gathered this morning at the United Center's administration entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team's leaders before they hit the parade route.

Owner Rocky Wirtz mingled with fans on his way in, shaking hands and posing for pictures in front of the Michael Jordan statue, now draped in a Hawks jersey.

"Thanks for making 'em significant again," one fan told Wirtz as he shook his hand.

Stanley Cup caretaker Phil Pritchard also made it through a gauntlet of fans to the administration entrance. He came back out after realizing he passed by Yazmin Ramirez, 19, who wanted him to sign a team flag.

Pritchard did not have a pen but posed with her for a photo.

"I thought that was really, really sweet," said Ramirez of Melrose Park. "That was really generous."

For Aiden Eliff, 4, today's parade is the high point of a growing interest in hockey that led him to start playing recreationally a few months ago.

When the Hawks won the Stanley Cup two years ago, Aiden was too young to come to the victory parade, but this time is different, said his mother, Desiree Eliff of Algonquin.

"He's been asking about this one for days," Eliff said. 

Patrick Svitek

Fans crowd the Metra station in Homewood as they head to downtown Chicago for the Blackhawksvictory rally at Grant Park. (Todd Panagopoulos, Chicago Tribune)

Patrick Sharp tweeted a sweet photo of the trophy and his 18-month-old daughter, Madelyn, Monday night after joining her father for a post-game interview on national television. (Patrick Sharp/twitter)

The Summer of Stanley continued Thursday night, as the Cup made stops at both Patrick Sharp's Lakeview home and then journeyed to the nearby Pony Inn, where hundreds of fans had expected it to make an appearance Tuesday morning. 

In an effort to help fans' keep track of the Cup's movements, Sharp tweeted a sweet photo of the trophy and his 18-month-old daughter, Madelyn, who became an Internet celebrity Monday night after joining her father for a post-game interview on national television.

Wearing a red Hawks sweater, Madelyn smiled at the camera as her dad discussed the thrilling come-from-behind victory. She even charmed the notoriously snarky website Deadspin.com, which proclaimed her the "cutest baby in sports."

"Just hanging out," Sharp tweeted along with the picture of Madelyn embracing the Cup.

After visiting Madelyn's house, the Cup journeyed with Sharp and teammate Patrick Kane to the Pony Inn. As hundreds of fans gathered outside the tavern, the pair frequently appeared in a second-floor window to show the trophy to the adoring masses. 

Stacy St. Clair

Fans rush on to Hutchinson Field in Grant Park as the gates open for the City of Chicago's rally  to salute the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.  (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Fans sprinted toward the stage at Hutchinson Field when officials let the public into the rally area, hours before the event was scheduled to begin.

Fans ate breakfast, tossed around beach balls and erupted in chants as they waited for the rally to begin.

A few brave fans showed up nearly naked. Alexander Smith of Naperville and two friends wore shorts but the rest of their bodies were covered only in red body paint. Smith wore an elaborate headress from Party City, he said.

"Go all out," Smith said. "This is a once in a lifetime thing."

Many at field carried homemade, foil-wrapped replicas of the Stanley Cup.

Michelle Manchir

Patricia Higgins outside her Burr Ridge home June 14. (Keri Wiginton/Chicago Tribune) 

As the Blackhawk nation swarms the downtown, the fan who sacrificed the most during the post-season won't be among them.
 
Patricia Higgins -- the Burr Ridge woman who took a puck to the face during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup series -- will not be at the rally today per doctor's orders, her daughter said.

Higgins was hit in the forehead with the puck, leaving a 1.5-inch laceration from the bridge of her nose to just above her right eyebrow. She received more than a dozen stitches to repair the external and internal tissue around her forehead.

Since the incident, Higgins has endured frequent headaches and was not able to attend anymore Hawks games. She cheered on team from her couch for the rest of the series and about the Stanley Cup's return, relatives said.

"She still has a bad concussion leading to bad headaches and optical migraines," her daughter Caitlin Higgins  wrote in a text message to the Tribune. "She won't be going to the rally because her doctor said she should stay away from large crowds or anything that would cause too much stimulation."

The Higgins family, who have been longtime season ticket holders, will be represented at the celebration.

"I'll be down there with a friend," Caitlin Higgins wrote. "But my mom will be watching on TV!"

Stacy St. Clair
Rally run 9:12 a.m.

Fans race into Grant Park as the gates open for the Blackhawksvictory rally. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Blackhawks parade preparation was under way this morning at the United Center.

The Chicago police aren't alone in keeping the thousands of revelers in check.

The Illinois State Police is lending a helping hand. More than a dozen troopers stood guard at the corner of Michigan and Randolph Street next to Millennium Park. Like the Chicago officers, they directed passersby to make their way south of Randolph along Michigan to access the Grant Park entrance.

Metal barricades were set up along Michigan beginning at Randolph, preventing the sea of red from crossing south. A swelling crowd of fans stood and stared south toward the park.

"It's not a viewing area," a Chicago police sergeant told the crowd, directing them east on Randolph.

Chicago cops on bicycle patrol gathered at the corner awaiting marching orders, as did officers on horses.

Jeremy Gorner

ATF special agent Mitchell Wido and Deja, an explosives-sniffing dog, check the planters on Randolph Drive outside the Blackhawks rally in Chicago. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Recipe for a Stanley Cup: one five-gallon water jug, one gallon paint can, one quart paint can and a bowl -- held together by a metal rod and screw and covered with 2,ooo square yards of aluminum foil.

Easier than building a champion hockey team over a decade. And handier too.

"You can drink beer out of it," the faux cup creator, Brad Wisniewski, said on the way to the Blackhawks parade. "It's already been done this morning."

Wisniewski, 24, of Wauconda, was among scores of fans in Hawks regalia riding the 7:11 a.m. Metra express train from Barrington to downtown.

As Wisniewski carried his cup through the train, the first brief refrain of the Hawks' anthem "Chelsea Dagger" rippled through the car.

Many of the fans looked about college age, but 82-year-old Helen Winslow was among the throngs. She credited the housecoat she wore to watch every game with helping the team win.

"It's all for the kids," she said. "The kids are so excited."

Even the conductor got in on the act. As the train pulled into Ogilvie Station, he announced, "Go Hawks," and was answered with cheers.

Hockey fans celebrate the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup win on Michigan and Congress, close to where a victory rally is planned later in the day. (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

Stanley Cup do 8:08 a.m.

Blackhawks fans bring their Stanley Cup hairdos to the rally at Grant Park. (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

CHICAGO METROPOLITAN FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
251 AM CDT FRI JUN 28 2013

TODAY. . .MOSTLY SUNNY EARLY IN THE MORNING THEN BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY.  NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON.

HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH IN THE MORNING BECOMING 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 60 PERCENT.

TONIGHT...CLOUDY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EARLY IN THE EVENING. . .THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE IN THE EVENING. CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

LOWS AROUND 60. NORTH WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 30 PERCENT. 

Ready to party 7:50 a.m.

Blackhawks fans wait to get into Grant Park early Friday morning. (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

Mapping it out 7:46 a.m.
Getting there 7:45 a.m.

The CTA is offering more service on its trains and rerouting buses Friday to accommodate the city's rally downtown for the Blackhawks' 2013 Stanley Cup win.

Transit officials suggest using the "L" to travel to the event. Service will be added to all eight rail lines after the morning rush through midday. The CTA is detouring 30 bus routes for the party.

More information about the changes can be found on the CTA's website.

Streets from Randolph Street to Balbo Avenue from Michigan Avenue to Lake Shore Drive will be closed, as will Columbus Drive from Randolph to Roosevelt.

Metra officials also said service will be added to the commuter trains to accommodate crowds. Riders can buy a $5 unlimited-ride ticket that will be good for Friday only.

The ticket is available at ticket agencies now and will be for sale on trains Friday. Metra is encouraging riders to buy the tickets in advance, and also warning customers that no bicycles or alcohol will be allowed on trains Friday.

The Blackhawk rally banner is put into place early Friday morning at Grant Park. (Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune)

The official Blackhawks victory parade starts on the Near West Side and winds up at a Grant Park rally, but for Cambridge, Mass., resident Jason Kedzuch, it begins nearly 900 miles east.

The Hoffman Estates native was set to roughly trace the route the Stanley Cup followed after the decisive Game 6 when he flew from Boston after work Thursday to Chicago for Friday's rally. Despite an 11 p.m. arrival Thursday, he intends to get up early to get a prime seat.

"It's part of the city's history, and I just want to be there," said Kedzuch, who moved to Massachusetts about a year ago and was at the Hawks' 2010 Stanley Cup rally. Read more