On this day in 1982, the New York Islanders became the third team to win three straight Stanley Cup championships.
On this day in 1982, the New York Islanders became the third team to win three straight Stanley Cup championships.
On this day in 1982, the New York Islanders became the third team to win three straight Stanley Cup championships.
The franchise accomplished this feat against the Vancouver Canucks at Pacific Coliseum in a 3-1 win 44 years ago today, completing a four-game sweep to hoist Lord Stanley:
The series began at Nassau Coliseum, where the Islanders defended home ice in Games 1 and 2, starting with a dramatic overtime victory in the opener.
After losing a 4-2 lead and trailing late in the third period, Mike Bossy tallied his second goal of the game to force the game into an extra session. With less than two seconds left in the first overtime, Bossy completed the hat trick to send the Islanders home happy:
Game 2 was another come-from-behind effort for New York, recovering from a 3-2 deficit in the final period of play.
Bob Bourne, Duane Sutter, Bryan Trottier, and Bobby Nystrom all lit the lamp in a four-goal third en route to a 6-4 Islanders win.
When the series shifted to Vancouver, the Islanders suffocated the Canucks' offense, limiting them to just one goal over the final two games of the series.
After taking the lead in the second period of Game 3, Bossy once again took center stage, scoring one of the most memorable goals in the history of the franchise:
Goaltender Billy Smith finished Game 3 with a 23-save shutout in a 3-0 Islanders win.
On the heels of the highlight-reel goal, New York broke out the brooms in Game 4 with a 3-1 victory.
After Butch Goring and Stan Smyl traded goals in the opening frame, Bossy's hot streak continued with a pair of power-play markers three minutes apart, putting the game and series to bed.
For his contributions, Bossy took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs.
In addition to his seven goals in the final, tying a record set by Jean Beliveau, he had 17 red lights and 10 helpers in 19 postseason contests that year.
Earlier in the postseason, New York picked up a dramatic 3-2 series win over the Pittsburgh Penguins to survive Round One. With the Islanders on the brink of seeing their championship run ending, John Tonelli played hero in the series-deciding game.
The momentum from that series allowed the Islanders to knock off the rival New York Rangers in Round Two before they swept aside the Quebec Nordiques in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Islanders would go on to win a fourth straight Stanley Cup in 1983 before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in the 1984 Stanley Cup Finals, ending their dynasty.