ST. LOUIS (AP) — Large crowds are gathering in downtown St. Louis despite heavy rain, awaiting a parade and rally to honor the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
The Blues beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 Wednesday in Game 7 to win their first championship. The Blues joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1967 and made it to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the team’s first three seasons, without winning a game. The team hadn’t been back until this year.
Fans began lining the streets hours before the parade, despite the rain. The parade will travel down Market Street to the Gateway Arch for a rally.
The last time St. Louis celebrated a major championship was when the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series.
