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New York Islanders (NHL, 1981-82)

1981-82 Regular Season:
Islanders vs. Vancouver Canucks

     The New York Islanders were the class of the NHL in 1981-82, having won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1980 and 1981. The team was loaded with talent on and off the ice, with five players, Coach Al Arbour, GM Bill Torrey and Assistant GM Jim Devellano all destined for the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

     This season may have been the Islanders greatest, and one of the greatest in NHL history. Thanks to a then-NHL record 15-game unbeaten streak, New York rolled to a 54-16-10 record, tops in the NHL. The Isles were 26 points ahead of the second-place Rangers in the Patrick Division and seven points in front of the second-best team in the league, the Edmonton Oilers. 15,049 per game packed Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum each night.

     Al Arbour had a team that was equally strong on both sides of the puck. The Isles were led by Mike Bossy's 64 goals and 147 points in 80 games. His center Bryan Trotter was next with 50 goals and 129 points in 80 games. John Tonelli (35) and Clark Gillies (38) were the other players with at least 30 goals. Defenseman Denis Potvin had another spectacular season, scoring 24 goals and 61 points. As a group, the Islanders scored the second-most goals in the league with 385. 

     On defense, the Isles were just as good, surrendering just 250 goals, second only to Montreal (223). Veteran Billy Smith, one of the original New York Islanders, played in 46 games, sporting a 32-9-4 record and 2.97 GAA. 21-year old backup Roland Melanson played in 36 games, with a 22-7-6 mark and 3.23 GAA. Smith drew the nod for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

     The Islanders' first round opponent was the Pittsburgh Penguins, and on paper, the series had "blowout" written all over it. The Penguins had a mediocre season that year, finishing in fourth place with a 31-36-13 record, 43 points behind the Islanders. The Islanders won the regular season series, 6-2, with most games being decided by 3 or more goals. While Pittsburgh did have some talent, they looked outclassed by the defending champs. In reality, this would be the closest the Isles would get to being dethroned during the dynasty.

     The Islanders predictably crushed Pittsburgh in the first two games at Nassau, outscoring the Pens 15-3. After that embarrassing showing, plus being called out by owner Ed DeBartelo, the Penguins swept both games in Pittsburgh to send the series to a deciding fifth game. Pittsburgh was ahead 3-1late in the game before goals by Mike McEwen and John Tonelli tied the game. Tonelli then scored on a rebound in overtime to send New York on to round 2. 

     After surviving that scare against Pittsburgh, the Islanders rolled. They dispatched arch-rival New York Rangers in six games, the second straight year the Isles defeated their hated rivals. New York then swept away Quebec in the Wales Conference final, outscoring the Nordiques 18-9. In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Islanders would face the Vancouver Canucks, who went on a Cinderella run through the Campbell Conference thanks to great goaltending from ex-Islander Richard Brodeur. While New York would win the series in a sweep, all four games were decided by 3 goals or less. That would be Cup #3 for the Islanders, who remain the last NHL team to win three or more consecutive Stanley Cups. Mike Bossy would win the Conn Smythe Trophy with 17 goals and 27 points in 19 playoff games.  

     This program is from the October 15, 1981, game between the Islanders and Vancouver Canucks. New York won, 4-1, in front of 14,693 fans at Nassau to improve to 3-0-1 on the year. The team picture from 1980-81 is featured on the cover. This is a 125-page program, mostly in black-and-white with color advertisements. Articles include a recap of the "Super Season" of 1980-81, Mike Bossy's historic "50 in 50" chase, and a recap of the team's first season in 1972-73. Local advertisements include Anchor Savings Bank, Wickers Restaurant, Billy Smith Employment Agency, and Austin Travel. The lineup sheet for the Isles and Canucks is sponsored by Renault American Motors. The previous page has a color ad for the Renault 18i. 


Aftermath: The Islanders would make it 4 in a row in 1982-83 sweeping the favored Edmonton Oilers in four straight. The Oilers would get revenge the following year, dethroning the Islanders in 5 games in 1984. 


References:

National Hockey League Regular Season Statistics: 1981-82, from hockeydb.com

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