Philly Wins!

Fine, so it's not a major league. It's still a title, and right now, it's the highest level of hockey that exists. We takes what we can get...

The dominant color was Phantoms purple rather than the orange and black of the Flyers. The Cup hoisted was the Calder, not the Stanley. The cheering was more high-pitched than a typical Flyers crowd, what with all the kids.

Yet the scene was more than enough to thrill the 20,103 who jammed into the Wachovia Center, forming the largest crowd in American Hockey League playoff history and the arena's fourth-largest hockey crowd.

"Philly loves a champion," said Phantoms coach John Stevens, standing in a corner of a joyous locker room.

Yes, Philly has a champion in professional sports.

Jon Sim, who played a spare role for Dallas when the Stars won the Stanley Cup under current Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock in 1999, and Patrick Sharp each scored two goals while goalie Antero Niittymaki continued his masterful play to lead the Phantoms to a 5-2 win over the Chicago Wolves, completing a four-game sweep of the best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals.

Niittymaki, who made 28 saves and allowed only four goals during the series - three on power plays - won the Jack Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP. By the time Chicago's Steve Maltais finally scored on the Finn early in the third period, the Phantoms already had both hands wrapped around the symbol of AHL supremacy.

"I think we played great defense the whole series, and I think we were the better team," Niittymaki said.

The Phantoms turned the third period into a prolonged coronation after pumping four goals into the Wolves' net during the second period.

The Calder Cup championship was the second in the nine-year history of the Phantoms, who also won it in 1998, when Stevens was team captain. Coincidentally, they also won that Cup on June 10.

Maybe, just maybe, this breaks the ice. Maybe the Phillies keep their streak going and ride it to a surprise title. Maybe Mo Cheeks breathes life into the Sixers. Maybe the Flyers, so close before the lockout to a title, take the final step with the injection of youth from the champion Phantoms. And maybe next year in Detroit, we're holding aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time and celebrating the title that means the most to us.

For now, thanks to the Phantoms. Maybe we're not totally cursed.