Tuesday 25 June 2013

Ranking the 8 greatest photos of Chicago Blackhawks locker room celebration (Gallery)

BOSTON -- One by one, the Chicago Blackhawks left the ice, through a phalanx of fans standing around the exit from the rink and disappeared into the visitors' locker room at TD Garden on Monday night.

Once inside, the party raged, the champagne flowed and the memories were made.

Like the one above. Look at the combination of hedonism and spirituality, as Blackhawks players both imbibe and are baptized in glorious bubbly.

It's a great photo; but it's No. 8 on our list of the 8 best locker room photos from the Blackhawks celebration.

What topped it? Glad you asked.

7. Patrick Kane and Friends

The Stanley Cup is held by MVP Patrick Kane and his friends, including a nearly unrecognizable Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa, who appears to be getting attacked by ravenous champagne foam. We're especially fond of this photo because it appears to age Kane roughly 15 years.

6. Conn Bromance

Toews and Kane have been linked since they were rookies, and now both have a pair of Stanley Cup rings and a Conn Smythe to their credit. This brief "I'm proud of ya, little buddy" moment brings the whole thing full circle. It's all very Johnny Drama and Vinny Chase.

5. Creepy Toews

Again, we have no idea what it is about the Stanley Cup that turns Toews into some sort of Appalachian Rodent-Man, but it is what it is. We believe that's Bryan Bickell, ready to crack a bottle over Toews' head before he completes his turn into a Were-Rat.

4. Joel Quenneville's Bath

Football has its Gatorade baths, and hockey has its triple-dousing of champagne onto the head of Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. Looks like you picked the wrong day to wear white, big guy. Remember how happy Coach Q. is here when he's inevitably fired after next postseason for losing in the quarterfinals.

3. Sprayed Kane

This is just a tremendous photo of Kane that we assume is from his junior hockey days, with the Stanley Cup Photoshopped in for the keg he was holding. Wait, it's from the locker room after Game 6? Oh.

The highlight is goalie Ray Emery's incredible "SAY WHAT?!" face as Kane is given a champagne dog wash.

2. Michal Handz-on

Michal Handzus was given the Cup by Captain Toews, and apparently never plans on letting it go. We've seen mothers hold their newborns with less fervor. You can't really blame him after 950 games without a championship. We just hope the rest of his teammates are OK with spending "A Day With The Cup And Michal 'Grabby' Handzus"

And finally ...

1. Hockey, People, Just Hockey

Andrew Shaw's bloodied face, the embrace from a teammate, the Holy Grail in the foreground and a spray of celebratory champagne dousing all of them? This is what hockey dreams are made of.



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