Thousands of Los Angeles Kings fans lined Figueroa Street on June 16 to get a glimpse of the Stanley Cup champions — and the Stanley Cup itself — during a victory parade celebrating the team’s second NHL title in the past three seasons.
Kings players and their families — along with coaches, team staff, broadcasters, team mascot Bailey and the Ice Crew — celebrated aboard double-decker buses and a flat-bed truck that paraded from Fifth and Figueroa streets to Staples Center. Also along for the ride were the Stanley Cup, Conn Smythe Trophy, and Clarence Campbell Cup.
Some fans began staking out locations along the parade route as early as 4:30 a.m. to ensure prime viewing.
“I haven’t been to any of their games, but I’ve been watching with my dad,” one young fan told ABC7 along the parade route while waiting for the procession to begin.
As the team and the trophies were driven along the parade route, fans cheered wildly, shouting in unison, “Go Kings Go” and “We got the Cup!”
As the parade reached the area of Staples Center, confetti rained down on the crowd and the team.
When the half-hour parade ended, parade participants climbed down from the buses and made their way into the arena for a sold-our rally. The rally included video highlights from the season, introductions of the team, coaching staff and executives and speeches by many of the players.
“It’s hard to kind of explain what we go through as players,” Kings captain Dustin Brown said. “I think when we look back on this team in 10 or 20 or 30 years, everyone, even from a fan’s perspective, they’re going to talk about how we came back from 3-nothing, how we came back from 3-2, how we had all these comebacks throughout. If I could try to share something or relate
what we as players share. All those things are possible because of the relationships we have bonded together.
“And that, I think, goes a long way and when the going gets really tough, knowing that you have a brother you can lean on,” he said. “I just want to say to all my teammates, I love all you guys.”
The Kings clinched the Cup on June 13 when Alec Martinez scored 14 minutes, 43 seconds into the second overtime to defeat the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The goal ended the longest game in the Kings’ 46 seasons of play.
At a rally inside Staples Center following the parade, mayor Eric Garcetti was a little overly enthusiastic celebrating the Los Angeles Kings’ Stanley Cup victory, dropping an F-bomb while addressing thousands of fans at Staples Center, on live television.
Garcetti, wearing a Kings jersey, stood at the microphone on the Staples Center ice, and told the crowd there are a few rules in politics.
“They say never, ever be pictured with a drink in your hand and never swear, but this is a big (expletive) day,” Garcetti said, drawing a roar from the crowd and laughs and applause from the Kings players.
Following the mayor at the microphone, former player and now Kings president of business operations Luc Robitaille poked fun at Garcetti, saying, “Well, we told our players not to cuss. Thanks.”
The rally was being televised live on Fox Sports West, and a commentator apologized to viewers after the network failed to censor the offending word.
