Kane on United Center ovation: 'It's surreal'

Patrick Kane said skating off the United Center ice after his pregame ovation on Tuesday, Oct. 6, felt surreal, because he had not known whether he would ever get that moment again.

The Blackhawks forward said after the home opener against the St. Louis Blues that the night came with a lot of buildup, according to NHL.com. He heard the crowd cheer for him during warmups, and he said getting ready to go out for the introduction was a little emotional.

"You're skating off the ice and it's surreal," Kane said, calling the night special.

Before he took the ice, Chicago played a highlight video of his years with the club, narrated by Kane himself, and he skated out between a light-up number 88.

The date carried its own weight. It was 19 years to the day after his first NHL home game, on Oct. 6, 2007, against the Detroit Red Wings. Kane played his first 16 NHL seasons in Chicago before signing back with the club on July 23.

Goaltender Spencer Knight said that, for all Kane has accomplished, he is "just a normal guy" in the dressing room, easygoing and nice to everyone.

Chicago won 4-2, its first win of the season.