On this day in 1980, the New York Islanders' dynasty was born.
On this day in 1980, the New York Islanders' dynasty was born.
The team defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 in overtime at Nassau Coliseum to win their first Stanley Cup, sparking a run of four straight championships and 19 consecutive playoff series wins:
The game was a thriller right to the end, starting in the first period with two goals by each team.
Reggie Leach and Brian Propp scored for Philadelphia, but Denis Potvin and Duane Sutter lit the lamp for New York. In the second frame, the Islanders got a power-play marker by Mike Bossy and a Nystrom red light to make it 4-2 heading into the third.
However, the Flyers didn't go down quietly, getting goals from Bob Dailey and John Paddock to tie it. The game then went into overtime, where John Tonelli and Nystrom had their famous connection.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_-BM1-ysv4[/embed]
The series was the culmination of a strong run to the top of the NHL's summit. Earlier in that postseason, the Islanders topped the Los Angeles Kings in four games, bested the Boston Bruins in five, and defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six to make their first Finals appearance.
Bryan Trottier took home Conn Smythe Trophy honors as the Islanders' playoff MVP. He led the Islanders in scoring in the postseason with 12 goals and 17 assists that year. Potvin's five goals in the series led the Islanders, but Bossy led in assists and points with seven and 11, respectively.
More remarkably, the Islanders went on to accomplish the feat for three more years after their victory in 1980.
The Islanders lifted Lord Stanley's Cup for three more years after that, beating the Minnesota North Stars, Vancouver Canucks, and Edmonton Oilers in that run and nearly doing it for a fifth time in 1984.
While the '84 run was unsuccessful, the Islanders won 19 straight playoff series, a record that will likely never be broken.