Blackhawks celebrate Stanley Cup with Chicago fans

Two million frantic fans lined the streets of Chicago to show love for their hockey team after the Blackhawks brought home the Stanley Cup for the second time in four years.

Red, white and black confetti poured from above as the team took a victory lap on open-top buses past cheering crowds that packed the parade route through the central city.

Players waved and took turns hoisting the giant silver cup over their heads as they drove slowly through a sea of red jerseys towards a massive rally in Grant Park.

The Blackhawks add this trophy to championships they won in 1934, 1938, 1961 and 2010.

Top-seeded Chicago also became the first team to win the Presidents' Trophy - as the team with the best record in the regular season - and the Stanley Cup in the same season since Detroit beat Pittsburgh in 2008.

They beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 in game six of last Monday's finals in a sudden reversal with just minutes left on the clock.

"When they scored two goals in 17 seconds I was ecstatic. I was going out of my mind," said Pat Crost, 23, who was draped in a Blackhawks flag.

"I came [to the parade] in 2010 and it was fantastic. I needed to be here again. Couldn't miss it."

Justin Capitan, 24, lined up at dawn to be among the first through the gates when the park opened. "I just want to celebrate the championship and to be here with everybody - it was pretty exciting in 2010," Capitan said.

Friends Hannah Wotaszak and Allison Fuss, both 16, painted their faces black and red and sketched the numbers of their favourite players on their cheeks.

"[Team captain] Jonathan Towes is my favourite player," Wotaszak said. "He's a really good player and he's cute."

Fuss was all giggles as she explained her pick: "Patrick Sharp - I mean he's hot. He's a good player and he's hot."

The players thanked their fans for coming out in force.

"This is just unbelievable," Toews told the cheering crowd, his voice hoarse. "Thank you for coming out, guys."

Sharp added: "You guys make Chicago and the United Centre the nicest place to play in the entire NHL."