It was a weekend for championship hockey to remember. Beginning Thursday, the ECHL crowned a champion, and it is the Allen Americans, who defeated the Wheeling Nailers in six games to claim their second straight Kelly Cup. For the Americans, their road to back-to-back wasn't easy, as they had to get past the regular season champion Missouri Mavericks in the Conference semi-finals. Sautrday in the AHL, the Lake Erie Monsters needed overtime to put away the Hershey Bears in the fourth game to claim the Calder Cup. Led by Playoff MVP Oliver Bjorkstrand, the Monsters claimed a championship for the city of Cleveland.
Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished off the San Jose Sharks in six games to claim their fourth Stanley Cup in team history and their first since 2009. Sidney Crosby was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, and like his 2010 Olympic run, his biggest contributions came when it counted the most. Despite a rather pedestrian 19 points in the playoffs by his standards, he was a big contributor in the Finals, letting players such as Connor Sheary and Bryan Rust have the scoring chances.
Hockey season may be over for now, but it went out in a flourish and now, the wait for the next season begins.
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