A handful of fans and media members pitched in on Tuesday to help the maintenance crew at the United Center paint the Chicago Blackhawks logo into center ice for the 2023-24 season. Fans can't wait for No. 98, Connor Bedard,to make his debut with the Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNDM0ODYwMTUzMDU0MzE2/img_5556.jpg] Fans can't wait for No. 98, Connor Bedard,to make his debut with the Blackhawks Meanwhile, single-game tickets to see Connor Bedard and the retooled Blackhawks skate on the United Center rink go on sale Thursday, Aug. 31. at 10 a.m. at Blackhawks.com/tickets [https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/tickets/single-game-tickets]. The team has three preseason games, starting on Sept. 28 versus St. Louis. The Blackhawks launch the regular season with five road games before their home opener on Saturday. Oct. 21 against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Knights. Chicago will play 25 of its 41 home games on weekends this season. Dan Ahearn sprays water on the Bud Light logo, a thing fabric decal. It had been gently squeegeed to make sure it was flat [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNDM0OTI1MzgyNDExMzcy/img_5561.jpg] Dan Ahearn sprays water on the Bud Light logo, a thing fabric decal. It had been gently squeegeed to make sure it was flat The United Center ice painting and prep took place under the watchful eye of Dan Ahearn, who's overseen the team's playing surface for 43 years. Ahearn dates back to the Chicago Stadium and the debut of Hall-of-Famer Denis Savard. The invited painting group grabbed brushes and helped fill in the "Indian Head" crest with black, red, yellow and a splash of green paint. The logo was already stenciled on the ice and painters were instructed to just stay within the lines. See the video below. Fans and media help paint the Blackhawks logo on the United Center ice surface. Ahearn and the United Center crew already had laid in the blue, red and goal lines, circles, goal creases and other markings that go into a hockey rink. They also had inserted thin sheets that carry advertising and were slowly flooding the surface using hoses. Dan Ahearn works to flood the ice surface. The Bud Light (above) and other advertising logos are on thin sheet that are gentle embedded into the ice. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNDM0OTI1MzgyNDExMzcy/img_5561.jpg] Dan Ahearn works to flood the ice surface. The Bud Light (above) and other advertising logos are on thin sheet that are gentle embedded into the ice. The ice surface would be ready to handle skaters by the end of this week, although the Blackhawks don't open training camp until Sept. 21 at the nearby Fifth Third Arena. Over the next few weeks, the United Center ice will be layered, smoothed out and tweaked until it eventually is about two inches thick about the chilled concrete floor. WGN Radio's Joe Brand was among media members who helped paint the ice. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNDM0OTQ0NDQxMzI4NzQ4/img_5550.jpg] WGN Radio's Joe Brand was among media members who helped paint the ice.
