Blackhawks grant wish for 14-year-old with cystic fibrosis

CHICAGO -- Megan Hill became a fan of the Chicago Blackhawks when they won the Stanley Cup in 2015.

On Thursday she got to skate with them.
As part of the Make-A-Wish program, Hill, who has cystic fibrosis, watched practice and was on the ice with the Blackhawks while they prepared for their game against San Jose Sharks at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+, NBCSCH, NBCSCA). The 14-year-old will also walk the red carpet with a Blackhawks player about two hours before the game.
"It's insane," said Hill, who lives in Eagle Point, Oregon, about five hours south of Portland. "I never thought this would happen, and it did. I got to play with the Chicago Blackhawks."
Hill plays for Southern Oregon Junior Spartans 14U Bantam, a recreational hockey team in Medford, Oregon, about 20 minutes away from her hometown. She originally submitted her wish to the Blackhawks in February and found out in early September that it was granted. She and her family arrived in Chicago on Wednesday.

Hill came onto the ice about 25 minutes into the Blackhawks' morning skate. She skated, passed the puck with forward Brendan Perlini and took a few shots against goalie Corey Crawford, scoring on her final attempt.
"I was standing between Corey Crawford and [forward] Patrick Kane and they were talking to me and each other and it was just another day," Hill said. "It's cool. I can't stop smiling right now."
After practice, Hill met U.S. Women's National Team member and 2018 Olympic gold medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield, who will be color analyst on the Sharks television broadcast.
Kane said Hill's presence was uplifting.
"Obviously, the Blackhawks do a great job with Make-A-Wish foundation to get some kids on the ice with us or different things throughout the year," he said. "We always welcome that. It kind of brings us back down to earth a little bit and you realize how fragile life is. It also brings us a bit of excitement. It's always good to have a couple of smiles on faces, so it was great to have her out there."