DENVER — Avalanche teammates locked arms at center ice with heads raised as a Stanley Cup banner lifted into the rafters at Ball Arena.

The champs are back.

Colorado rolled Wednesday in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks to open the 2022-23 season. But in the title afterglow, on a night of reflection and joy, the outcome was secondary. A sellout crowd arrived early and stayed late to relish the return of hockey.

Excitement outside the arena started brewing several hours before the puck dropped.

Joel Crabb was the first person in line outside one of the West entrance doors with hundreds of blue-and-burgundy clad fans spilling down the sidewalk behind him. Crabb, 47, is a Denver-area resident who dropped big bucks on the secondary market for tickets to opening night. Why?

“The banner and the whole thing,” Crabb said with a giant smile. “All of it.”

The surprise honorary guest Wednesday was Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, who led the sold-out crowd in a sing-along of the team’s unofficial punk rock anthem: All the Small Things. Hoppus, in a brief pregame interview, told reporters: “It is such a huge deal for us. … Last season, it was just bananas. It became this whole thing.”

The sound of 20,000-plus voices in the building belted out every word in an epic performance.

“I was so stoked for Blink-182 getting back together, let alone having Mark Hoppus be here tonight. I will definitely be singing along,” said Derek Luebbers, 27, a lifelong Avalanche fan from Denver, with season tickets in Section 332. “I can get loud. But I don’t think I can sing in-pitch very well.”

The Avalanche are thankful to have one of the best home atmospheres in the NHL. The first of 41 games at Ball Arena was a perfect start to their quest to defend the Stanley Cup.

“The energy coming off last year, and in the playoffs, I felt like our building was exceptional, ” coach Jared Bednar said before the game. “They made it very difficult for other teams to be able to be able to come in and win here. Our guys get energized by our crowd.”

GAMER BOX

What happened: The Avalanche defeated the visiting Blackhawks, 5-2, to open the regular season Wednesday at Ball Arena.

On the attack: Colorado earned five goals from three different players: F Andrew Cogliano, F Valeri Nichushkin (twice) and F Artturi Lehkonen (twice). Jonathan Toews and Max Domi each scored for Chicago. The Avalanche dominated shots on goal: 34 to 17.

In the net: Avs starting goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made 15-of-17 saves, giving up two power-play goals. Blackhawks starting goalie Petr Mrazek recorded 29-of-34 saves.

Star of the night: Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen notched four assists.

What’s next: Colorado plays the second night of back-to-back games 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Calgary Flames.