Standing ovations for visiting players are few and far between and require something extra special.
Patrick Kane’s overtime winner Sunday absolutely qualifies, and the moments that ensued are some of the most memorable and emotional the United Center has witnessed in recent memory. The 35-year-old former Blackhawks star scored the overtime winner for the Red Wings in his first game back in Chicago for a 3-2 Detroit win.
The goal was special enough. The rousing standing ovation he received afterward was next-level.
It’s also well-deserved. Kane won three Stanley Cups, made four All-Star games, racked up the second-most points in franchise history and won a bevy of individual awards — including the 2015-16 Hart Memorial Trophy — across 16 seasons in Chicago. Kane received several cheers throughout the game, including during a video tribute, and had some touching words for the Chicago fans postgame:
Kane is the first player to score an overtime goal against a team he’s played at least 1,000 games for, per Stats Perform.
The fact that he’s back is remarkable. He was traded to the Rangers last season and then underwent offseason hip surgery. He didn’t even join Detroit until late November, when he signed a one-year deal well into the season. With a goal and an assist Sunday, he’s up to 28 points in 27 games, an incredible comeback and a huge reason the Red Wings currently occupy a playoff spot.
Kane’s game-winner wasn’t the only reason emotions ran high at the United Center. The team also retired Chris Chelios’ jersey, and Chelios included Kane in his speech.
