The big victory celebration comes Thursday, but the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche did a practice lap at Coors Field on Wednesday evening before the Rockies game.
The Avs took turns hoisting the fabled trophy over their heads as they circled the field and fans snapped photos. Team captain Gabe Landeskog brought the Cup to the stands so some lucky kids could touch a piece of hockey history.
Landeskog then took center stage, hiking the mound to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. His catcher, naturally, was left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeland, the Denver native and Avs fanatic. Landeskog’s pitch was high and wild, but Freeland made a nice, glove-hand snatch, one that would have made goaltender Darcy Kuemper proud.
David Zalubowski, The Associated Press
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog throws a ceremonial first pitch after parading the Stanley Cup around the field, before the Colorado Rockies’ baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, in Denver.
Thursday, the Stanley Cup champions will parade down 17th Street in Downtown Denver, from Union Station to Civic Center Park. More than 200,000 fans are expected to attend.
Festivities, including live music and Avalanche highlights on multiple jumbo screens, begin at 9 a.m. in Civic Center Park.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Union Station and participants, including the players, coaches, staff, families and guests, are expected to all reach the celebration site by about noon. The route heads down 17th Street to Broadway, then south a couple of blocks into Civic Center.