Blackhawks Cement Dynasty With Third Stanley Cup Win
June 16, 2015
For the third time in six seasons, Chicago is the center of the hockey universe. The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning last night 2-0, winning the National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup finals four games to two. As they had in many previous games, stars Duncan Keith, Patrick Kane, and Corey Crawford led the team to victory in this final contest.
Chicago Blackhawk Duncan Keith celebrates after scoring in the second period against goaltender Ben Bishop of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in game six of the finals at the United Center on June 15, 2015, in Chicago, Illinois. (Credit: © Scott Audette, NHLI/Getty Images)
The Stanley Cup trophy is annually awarded to the team that wins the NHL championship. It is the oldest trophy in professional sports competition in North America. In 1893, Baron Stanley of Preston, the governor general of Canada, donated a silver bowl to be annually awarded to the amateur hockey champions of Canada. Professional teams in the National Hockey Association (reorganized into the NHL in 1917) began competing for the trophy in 1910. The Stanley Cup has been under the control of the NHL since 1926.
The Stanley Cup consists of a replica of Baron Stanley’s original bowl mounted on a large trophy. It weighs 32 pounds (14.5 kilograms) and stands 35 1/4 inches (89.5 centimeters) high. After accepting the trophy from league officials, team captain Jonathan Toews triumphantly hoisted it over his head and skated around the United Center, before passing it to his teammates to do the same.
The Blackhawks and Lightning, who both fought through three grueling play-off rounds to make it to the finals, represent different aspects of the NHL. The Chicago Blackhawks are a popular, established franchise, one of the “original six” teams to play in the NHL. The Tampa Bay Lightning are a smaller-market expansion team formed in 1992. The Blackhawks have many veteran players with play-off experience. The Lightning are one of the youngest teams in the NHL. In winning the Cup, the ‘Hawks cemented their legacy as a modern hockey dynasty. Many experts think the Lightning have the potential to succeed in the near future. But the future will have to wait while Chicago celebrates.
Other World Book articles:
- Chicago (2010-a Back in time article)
- Hockey (2010-a Back in time article)
- Hockey (2013-a Back in time article)
