Blackhawks are already a dynasty

The Chicago team defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 in the sixth game of a highly contested final series. It was their sixth Stanley Cup in history, and the third in the last six seasons, making them the fourth most successful team in the NHL, behind the Canadiens (23 titles), Maple Leafs (13), and Red Wings (11). But this title was not just another one.

The victory last night marks the first time that Chicago celebrates the title on home soil since 1938. Since then, they had won three Stanley Cups (1961, 2010, and 2013), but all as visitors.

Last night, the packed United Center stood up to watch their heroes lift the coveted cup, after having paid insane prices for tickets (the most expensive one being $10,000, around €9,000; the cheapest one purchased last minute, $800). "It can be compared to the Super Bowl or Pacquiao-Mayweather," said Cameron Papp, spokesperson for the ticketing website Stubhub.

All of this against a rival, Tampa Bay, that never gave up in what was one of the tightest final series in recent times: five out of the six games were decided by a single goal. Corey Crawford, Chicago's goalkeeper, and Duncan Keith, defenseman, were particularly outstanding in a team with human stories like that of Finnish player Kimmo Timonen, diagnosed with blood clots in his legs and lungs, who managed to postpone his retirement and win his first title at the age of 40.