I took a crash course in Blackhawks as we headed down to Chicago for my first NHL game at the United Center.
“I should know the words to Chelsea Dagger, shouldn’t I?” I said.
Turns out, the words aren’t the point of Chicago’s famous goal song. Good thing, too, because I ended up singing Chelsea Dagger along with 20,000 of my new closest friends five times before the Blackhawks finished rolling over the Carolina Hurricanes Monday night.
Da Da da-Da Da da-Da da Da-da-da-da-da.
I loved everything about the night, the raucous National Anthem, the sold-out arena, the handmade knit hat on the sweet little girl sitting next to me.
Da Da da-Da Da da-Da da Da-da-da-da-da.
I loved that my camera mysterious switched settings as I sprinted toward the stadium, lending a film noir quality to those first couple of shots, which was exactly wrong because the whole stadium and its surrounding neighborhood pulsates with joy on game nights.
Da Da da-Da Da da-Da da Da-da-da-da-da.
I loved that the chatty lady who sat behind us spoke with a rapture to which I can relate about how she had been a season ticket holder for the last 25 years. Then she offered to take our picture. Then she cut our heads off in all but one.
Da Da da-Da Da da-Da da Da-da-da-da-da.
I love all the big scoops of hand packed ice cream people ate in section 115. Ice Cream! Because who needs hot chocolate when you’re spending two hours on ice?
I love that Jonathon Toews, who scored two of the five goals we saw, famously took the Stanley Cup for a Canadian bus ride.
I love that Jim Cornelison sings the national anthem with dignity and panache at every home game.
I love that the United Center has been sold out for Blackhawks games since March 2008.
In short, I love the Chicago Blackhawks.
Da Da da-Da Da da-Da da Da-da-da-da-da.
Here’s a little Chelsea Dagger for you, from the fifth goal…
And here’s the rowdy National Anthem…