Hawks fans anxiously awaited OT goal, tied series in Game 4 win

June 19, 2013 (CHICAGO)

It is one of the finer renditions of the Chelsea Dagger you will hear, as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra gets in the Blackhawks spirit, complete with conductor Ricardo Muti wearing the #19 sweater of Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.

But fans at Union Park are happy with the real thing after the Hawks score.

This is why many Hawks fans watch the game surrounded by other fans.

Thanks to the Hawks early lead, the crowd at Union Park was raucous compared to a relatively subdued crowd at the Tripoli Tap in Lincoln Park. The owners are from Boston, and it's one of the few places in Chicago for Bruins fans to gather.

Blackhawks superfans get creative with office decor, 'playoff lawn'

A look around the office of Protech Roofing Company in Des Plaines makes it obvious that the interior decorator is a Blackhawks superfan.

"We've got the puck, bobble heads, flags, tickets from the lockout made into a collage," said Sandy Marcum.

Marcum's family owns the business, which was targeted by vandals two years ago and did nearly $50,000 worth of damage.

"Spray-painted walls with gold paint, damaged computers and printers," Marcum said.

After repairs were made, the Marcums thought the freshly painted white walls needed some flair. So they brought in more than 100 pieces of memorabilia, transforming the office into a year-round shrine to their favorite team.

"There are no fans like Chicago fans," Marcum said.

Fans come up with creative ways to show their support, like the "playoff lawn" in the front yard of Frank Miller's Park Ridge home. The idea first came to him a couple of months ago when his house flooded. And he was too busy cleaning up to cut his lawn.

"I'm surprised because it's such a simple idea and it really caught on. People love it. They drive by, beep and take pictures," he said.

Despite efforts from the city of Park Ridge to mow the lawn, Miller wants to keep it long and use it for charity when the finals are over, charging people for the chance to cut it to raise money to benefit a childhood friend diagnosed with a neurological disorder.

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