Monday, June 11 Updated: June 12, 3:24 PM ET Avalanche fans love a parade Associated Press DENVER -- To cheers of "We want Joe," Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic emerged from a spray of smoke at the City and County building Monday carrying the Stanley Cup above his head in front of thousands of fans gathered downtown to celebrate. Avs captain Joe Sakic hoists the Stanley Cup while riding on a fire truck with Ray Bourque, lower right, during a victory parade in downtown Denver. "We had one saying all playoffs, and that was `Mission 16W,"' Sakic told the crowd, referring to the 16 victories it took to win the Cup. "Well, mission complete." A blast of daytime fireworks capped an afternoon parade that drew approximately 250,000 screaming hockey fans to watch as fire engines carried Sakic, the Stanley Cup and the rest of the team through downtown. "I remember the last time we were here," Sakic said. "It's been way too long." The New Jersey Devils had built a 3-2 lead in the playoff series before falling 3-1 Saturday to the Avalanche in Game 7 in Denver. The victory gave veteran defenseman Ray Bourque his first chance to hoist the Stanley Cup after 22 seasons of chasing it. He said he was blown away by the parade and rally. No decision yet on Bourque's future DENVER -- The red-and-gray beard, as much a part of Ray Bourque's playoff run as his black "Mission 16W" cap, is gone. The exhilaration of winning his first Stanley Cup is not. Bourque, who finally won the cup in his 22nd NHL season, was mesmerized Monday as the Colorado Avalanche celebrated. "The feeling I had going down that street with the people and the cheering -- with the cup -- it's unreal," a clean-shaven Bourque said. "That was my first parade, and I was blown away. Things I haven't experienced and I haven't seen, and everything has to sink in. It's going to take some time." With the book closed on a memorable 2000-01 season, the 40-year-old Bourque plans to take two or three weeks to decide whether he wants to keep playing. Teammates say he could play another five years, and his age did not show in the playoffs. Bourque, who has a $6 million contract option for next season, ranked second on the team in ice time at 28 minutes, 31 seconds a game. He scored four goals and had six assists. "I could play, no doubt about that," he said. "I played two days ago and it went pretty well. It's a matter of mentally and physically. It's not the easiest thing to play when you're 40 years old. It takes a lot of energy. "I've just got to see if the fire and the passion and everything you need to be successful playing this game is going to be there. If I decide it is, then I'll continue. If I feel that's going to be tough, we'll see what we do." -- The Associated Press "I was expecting it to be crowded and nice, but when you're actually in it and the Cup's right next to you, everything kind of comes together, everything you've worked for and dreamed about," said Bourque, who drew chants of "Play! Play!" during the rally. About 500,000 people attended the rally following the Avalanche's 1996 Stanley Cup win, the first time a team from the sports-crazy city had won a world championship. Similar rallies were held following the Denver Broncos' Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999. Tina Kite has been an Avalanche fan since 1996 when they moved from Quebec. Despite the 90-degree heat, she donned a felt Avalanche jester hat and joined the rally. At 5-foot-1, she had to jump up to catch a glimpse of the players on a giant screen. "They can't see me. But it's my way of saying thank you," said the 32-year-old mother of two, who dyes her hair blue whenever the Avalanche play. Karl Grabin, 22, woke up at 6 a.m. to make the drive from Canon City for the celebration. "Either team could have won. Bourque gave us enough passion to win," he said. During the parade, the crowd lunged for white pompons Avalanche coach Bob Hartley threw from the top of a fire engine and erupted in cheers when he hoisted the Presidents' Trophy over his head. Some fans wore foam pucks and aluminum foil replicas of the Stanley Cup on their heads. One man was busy selling buttons insulting the archrival Detroit Red Wings. Roars echoed off office buildings, dozens of people crowded onto a balcony above the start of the parade, and others leaned from windows to catch Adam Foote pumping his fist at the crowd. Fans showered with confetti and toilet paper shouted, "Roy, Roy, Roy," as the fire truck carrying MVP goaltender Patrick Roy and the Conn Smythe Trophy passed over an Avalanche logo newly painted on the street. At the end of the route in Civic Center Park, 21-year-old Eric Christensen of Dacono rolled his "Go, Avs" sign into a megaphone. "We've got to get loud!" he shouted. At the other end of the park, Michael Jantz, 11, of Littleton was trying to sell some Avalanche playing cards for between $1 and $10 each. But he said his main motivation for coming was to see the Stanley Cup. Evelyn Edwards, 71, of Littleton, and her 75-year-old husband, Jack, said the celebration was even better than the 1996 party. "I think the No. 1 story is Ray Bourque," said Mike Hayes, 35, of Aurora. "I literally cried. Just to see him and his family enjoy the moment was wonderful." In Washington, Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., praised the team on the floor of the U.S. Senate and mentioned Bourque, who spent 20 seasons with the Boston Bruins. "The 40-year-old is one of the best defensemen ever to lace up the skates and has a spot waiting for him in the Hall of Fame," Allard said. Gov. Bill Owens congratulated the team and Mayor Wellington Webb presented two new street signs for Ray Bourque Boulevard and Colorado Avalanche Boulevard. Later, the team celebrated its victory at the Denver ChopHouse and Brewery, the same restaurant where forward Peter Forsberg first felt pain from his ruptured spleen. That was just hours after Colorado defeated the Los Angeles Kings in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

ALSO SEE Report: Bourque has already made decision to retire New Jersey left thinking what might have been Blake says Sakic's injury was worse than admitted Bourque's mission fulfilled as Avs win Stanley Cup Denver will celebrate Avs' Cup win with Monday parade AUDIO/VIDEO  Ray Bourque thanks the Avalanche fans' for their support. avi: 1002 k RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN Cable Modem  Colorado Avalanche Victory Parade. RealVideo: 28.8  Avs captain Joe Sakic addresses the masses at Colorado's victory ceremony. wav: 109 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6