Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks! Thanks to a 2-0 victory tonight at the United Center, they are the 2015 Stanley Cup champions. This marks the first time they have hoisted the Cup at home since 1938. They made a great run and beat some phenomenal teams. Getting past the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, and Tampa Bay Lightning in one postseason is no small feat.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s run didn’t end with them standing at the summit of hockey’s tallest mountain, but it was still an incredibly fun ride. The loss hurts right now for fans and players alike, but it’s vitally important that we all maintain perspective. This young group played its heart out for 108 games. Fans should be incredibly proud of everything their team accomplished this season; they made it to the final series, a place 28 other teams strived to reach during 2014-15. That’s not small feat, either.
I’ll be back with a full post-game recap tomorrow, but I just wanted to take this moment to congratulate the Blackhawks and thank the many fans who stopped by to read my work during the Final. I enjoyed getting to know the Chicago posters who popped by regularly, and truly appreciated the many kind words that were sent my way.
And, of course, thank you to my regular Tampa posters. You folks made this postseason run so much fun to cover; I’ll be forever grateful. Be sad and disappointed tonight, but be optimistic when you wake up tomorrow. The window for this Lightning team is just opening.
Enjoy tonight, Chicago! You earned it.
Thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.