PITTSBURGH -- The city of Pittsburgh welcomed the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins with a victory parade downtown Monday.

With a 2-1 defeat in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final over the defending-champion Detroit Red Wings, the Penguins succeeded in bringing the fabled trophy to the city for the third time and first since 1992.

In a procession of BMW convertibles, the first of the Penguins parade participants began to roll through streets lined by about 375,000 people who gathered behind the barricades lining the parade route.

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SLIDESHOWS:
Pens Victory Parade: Part 1, The Players
Pens Victory Parade: Part 2, Stage Ceremony
Pens Victory Parade: Part 3, The Fans
Pens Victory Parade: Part 4
Pens Victory Parade: Part 5

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Mario Lemieux drove in the lead car of the victory parade, waving to Penguins fans. In 1991 and 1992, he also rode in Stanley Cup victory parades but as a player on the Stanley Cup winning team and not the owner of the team.

Lemieux hopped out of his white convertible to speak with Channel 11. He said that the Stanley Cup is the most difficult trophy to win in sports, and with that difficulty, there are ups and downs. "We ended up on top, which is a great feeling," said Lemieux.

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VIDEOS:
Malkin's Parents Drink From Cup
Guerin Talks, Fans Cheer 'One More Year'
Crosby Says 'It's Better Than I Ever Dreamed'
Talbot: 'Best Day Of My Life'
Fleury Thanks Fans For Support
Mike Lang: 'I Got The Marbles'
Gateway High School Marching Band
Fans Cheer Mike Lange, Phil Bourque
Fleury, Bylsma, Cup Travel Parade Route
Mario Lemieux Talks To Channel 11
Jordan Staal Talks To Channel 11
Mayor Ravenstahl Talks To Channel 11
Talbot Says Pens Will Win More Cups
Sid, Fleury, Malkin Family Ride Through Crowd
Players High Five Thousands Of Fans
Coach Bylsma Says He Slept With Cup
About 375,000 Fans At Penguins Victory Parade
Alby Pulls Polamalu, Crowd Surfs At Penguins Parade

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Following Lemieux's car was another convertible carrying Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. After the mayor, former Penguins player and Stanley Cup winner Jay Caufield rode by. Former player and teammate Phil Bourque and Penguins legendary announcer Mike Lange were among the others who trailed behind them, waving from their convertibles.

The team's coaches, players and family members cruised on top of roofs and in the backs of several pickup trucks.

Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said to Channel 11 News, "Look (at the) people hanging from the windows!"

The fans not only lined the streets, as they did for the Steelers Super Bowl parade, but they also hung outside the windows of the downtown buildings and from parking garage walls, twirling towels and holding up signs they brought from home.

Penguins center Jordan Staal jumped out of his truck, clean-shaven, now that the playoffs are over, and said to Channel 11 about the parade, "It's unbelievable."

Penguins hero Maxime Talbot, who scored both goals in the Penguins' 2-1 win in Game 7 that earned the team Lord Stanley's Cup, stopped to chat with Channel 11. Unlike the other players, Talbot was not riding inside a pickup truck but was running around and high-fiving the cheering fans lining the parade route.

"It's crazy. Look at all these fans!" Talbot said. "Guys, I love you."

Talbot wanted to jump the barrier near where Channel 11's Alby Oxenreiter was stationed so he could do some crowd-surfing. However, Pittsburgh police wouldn't allow him to jump the barrier for safety reasons.

Atop the roof of the first of the last two pickup trucks in the parade rode the Stanley Cup Playoffs' Conn Smythe MVP trophy. Standing behind that trophy was its winner, Evgeni Malkin, who waved to fans amid streamers and ticker tape flying in the air.

Atop the roof of the final truck stood Lord Stanley's Cup, its silver gleaming in the sun. Behind the Stanley Cup stood Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, all smiles amid the cheering crowd.

The parade wound its way through downtown Pittsburgh to a stage erected on Stanwix Street, where all the participants gathered, many of whom took turns addressing the thousands of fans assembled in the streets.

Bylsma thanked the Penguins organization for the opportunity to coach the team to a Stanley Cup win. Though a Michigan native who grew up among Red Wings fans, Bylsma told the crowd, "The City of Champions is much better than Hockeytown."

Crosby echoed Bylsma's sentiments, saying the "city's unmatched by no other." He admitted, after dreaming of winning the Stanley Cup since being a kid, "Today's better than I ever dreamed."

Veteran NHL player Bill Guerin who signed a one-year contract with the team mid-season, took the stage before a crowd chanting, "One more year!" He thanked the organization for acquiring him from the New York Islanders for the playoff run. "Thank you for letting me be a part of this," Guerin said through a smile missing several teeth.

Next came Fleury who, as a goaltender, had all his teeth to his smile. He drank in the crowd before him as if it were champagne from the Cup. "I let some soft ones in, and you guys still cheered for me," he said.

Talbot, whose voice was hoarse from a weekend of yelling and celebration, kept things short and sweet before the microphone.

"This is the best day of my life," he said. "I love you. Thank you ... We won the Cup!"

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VIDEO: Fans Lining Up For Parade As Early As 5 A.M.
SLIDESHOW: Pens Win Stanley Cup
SLIDESHOW: Thousands Celebrate Win In South Side Streets

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Zambelli Fireworks highlighted the parade with fireworks, fired from Point State Park.

As early as 5 a.m. Monday, fans began to line up for the parade. Workers set up detours and barricades, as well as a stage with a big screen TV that will show team highlights during the celebration.

Public Works Director Guy Costa said the parade is a well-earned tribute to the Stanley Cup Champs. “They came back (in the series) and did a great job. They need to be commended.”

The parade will start at the intersection of Grant Street and Seventh Avenue. It will take the same route as last February's Super Bowl parade. Proceeding through Grant Street, the parade will loop to the Boulevard of the Allies and end at Stanwix Street where a stage celebration will be held.

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No Soup, But Champagne For Malkin In Locker Room
Crosby, Bylsma, Guerin Drink From Cup
Bylsma Says He Never Imagined Stanley Cup Win While Watching Steelers Super Bowl Win
Ray Shero Talks Marion Hossa After Pens' Cup Victory
Video: 1-On-1 With Marc-Andre Fleury After Cup Win
Talbot: 'We Have Great Core'
Scuderi Thanks Pens Fans For Their Support
Dupuis: 'We Believed We Could Win'
Pens Fans Flock To South Side Streets After Victory
Crosby Says Fans Shouldn't Have Been Worried When He Left Ice
Lemieux Proud Of Team, Says Crosby Is Like One Of His Kids
Crosby Youngest Captain To Hoist Stanley Cup

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County Executive Dan Onorato and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced the parade will be held on Monday, June 15 at noon.

"No words can describe the history-making comeback achieved by our team, Ravenstahl said. "No one believed that this could be done, that we could win on the road and defy history, and that the league's youngest captain could make it happen. On Monday, let's show the world how the 'City of Champions' welcomes home their Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins."

"Monday's parade will be a great opportunity for this region to honor and celebrate this amazing Penguins team for bringing the Stanley Cup back home," Onorato said.