saveandabeaut

1972/73: 40 years after the Brooklyn Americans folded, New York once again had 2 NHL teams. The dream of bring a second hockey team to the New York Metropolitan Area belonged to Roy Boe who owned the New York Nets of the ABA. With plans of a rival hockey league starting up the NHL had decided to head the rivals off at the pass but granting Boe an expansion team based on New York known as the Islanders. GM Bill Torrey started by drafting Billy Smith and Ed Westfall in the expansion draft and Bobby Nystrom and Billy Harris in the amateur draft. The islanders would make their debut on October 7th losing at the Nassau Coliseum 3-2 to the Atlanta Flames, who were also playing their very first game. The Isles would get their first win 5 days later as they beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2. However, wins would be very rare as they end up finishing dead last with an awful record of 12-60-6. 

1973/74: After struggling under 2 coaches in their first season the Islanders bring in another new coach Al Arbour who had been in the playoffs the past 19 seasons as either a player or a coach. The Islanders would struggle early under Arbour going winless through their first 7 games, on the way to finishing in last place again with a 19-41-18 record. However defenseman Dennis Potvin would provide a bright spot capturing the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie.

1974/75: The Islanders would get off to a terrific start in their 3rd season losing just 1 of their first 10 games. The Islanders would play good enough the rest of the way to make it into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a record of 33-25-22. In their first playoff series the Islanders were matched up against the New York Rangers. The Islanders would get off to a good start upsetting their rivals 3-2 in the opener at MSG. However, the Rangers would recover by taking Game 2 at Nassau Coliseum 8-3 setting up a decisive 3rd game at the Garden. The Isles would let a 3-0 lead slip away in the 3rd period as the Rangers threw every shot they could at goalie Billy Smith. However, the Isles still had a chance as the game went into overtime. The overtime would not last long a s the Isles controlled the opening face off and won the game and the series on a goal by Jean Potvin, on a brilliant pass from Jude. In the 2nd round the Islanders run appeared to be over as they dropped their first 3 games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Only 1 team had ever overcome a 3-0 deficit before. However, the Islanders would not quit as Coach Al Arbour challenged his players saying, “If there’s anyone here who doesn’t feel we can come back and beat these guys, get off the ice immediately.” The Speech worked as the Isles won the next 3 games to force a 7th game in Pittsburgh. Game 7 would be a tight defensive affair, as the game remained scoreless into the 3rd before Ed Westfall gave the Isles a 1-0 lead late in the 3rd period. The Islanders would tighten their defense the rest of the way not allowing a shot on goal to complete the amazing comeback. In the semifinals the Islanders were matched up against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Philadelphia Flyers. The Islanders would find themselves down 3 games to none again, only to rally and force a 7th game. However, the Islanders miracle run would end with a 4-1 loss in Game 7. 

1975/76: Coming off their miracle run to the semifinals the Islanders were even stronger as they finished in 2nd place in the Patrick Division with a solid 42-21-17 record topping the 100 point mark for the first time in franchise history. Helping to lead the way was Bryan Trottier who had a spectacular rookie season winning the Calder Trophy by scoring 95 points. In the playoffs the Isles would make quick work of the Vancouver Canucks winning 2 straight to reach the 2nd round. In the 2nd round the Isles would drop the first 2 games to the Buffalo Sabres on the road. However, the Islanders who were used to comebacks would win the next 4 games and reach the semifinals for the 2nd straight season. However, the Islanders would end up falling to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens in 5 games, as they could not overcome a 3-0 deficit.

1976/77: The Islanders continued to show they belonged at the top of the NHL’s list of elite teams, as they put together another strong season finishing in 2nd place with a solid record of 47-21-12. The Islanders would hit the playoffs rolling as they made the semifinal again by sweeping through the Chicago Black Hawks in 2 games and the Buffalo Sabres in 4. However, once again the Isles would fall to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions as they are beaten by the Montreal Canadiens in 6 games.

1977/78: The Islanders continued to get stronger as Mike Bossy becomes the 3rd rookie to win the Calder Trophy in 5 years, as the Islanders won the first division title with a spectacular record of 48-17-15. However, in the playoffs the Islanders would stumble dropping their 2nd round series to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 7 games after a first round bye. 

1978/79: Led by Bryan Trottier who captures the Hart Trophy with 134 points the Islanders continue to rise improving for the 6th year in a row while taking their 2nd straight division title with a NHL best record of 51-15-14. In the playoffs the Islanders would get to the Semifinals for the 4th time in 5 years by sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks in 4 straight games after a first round bye. However, once again the Islanders would have a let down n the semis as they fall to the New York Rangers in 6 games.  

1979/80: Coming off their playoff let down against the New York Rangers the Islanders would get off to a slow start at 6-11-4. The Islanders even lost a game in which Billy Smith became the first goalie to tally goal. However, as the New Year rolled around the Islanders started to turn things around climbing above .500 in mid January. Down the stretch the Islanders would receive some added help by acquiring Butch Goring from the Los Angeles Kings, and calling up rookie Ken Morrow who had played on the Gold Medal Wining US Hockey team. The Isles would go on to finish in 2nd place with a 39-28-13 record. In the playoffs the Islanders got off to a fast start beating the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 by a score of 8-1. However, after Chico Resch allowed 6 goals in Game 2 Coach Al Arbour decided to stop the Isles goaltender rotation and allow Billy Smith to play the rest of the postseason. Game 3 would still be a nail bitter however, as Ken Morrow scored the game winner in overtime, as the Isles overcame a 3-1 deficit. The Islanders would go on to win the series in 4 games. The Islanders started to get momentum in the 2nd round as they won back to back overtime games on the road against the Boston Bruins on the way to taking the series in 5 games. In the semifinals for the 5th time in 6 years the Islanders were still looking for their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Isles would get off to a fast start taking the first 3 games against the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres would make it interesting taking the next 2 games. In Game 6 the Isles continued to swoon as they fell behind 2-0. However, the Isles would come roaring back scoring 5 unanswered goals to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history. In the finals the Islanders faced the Philadelphia Flyers. In Game 1 in Philadelphia the Islanders got off to a fast start winning in overtime on a goal by Dennis Potvin. After the Flyers took Game 2 the Islanders dominated Games 3 and 4 at the Nassau Coliseum winning by a combined score of 11-4. After the Flyers took Game 5 in Philly the Islanders appeared to have the cup in their grasp with a 4-2 lead in the 3rd period at home. However, in fight filled battle the Flyers would rally to tie the game and send into overtime. In overtime Bob Nystrom who had left the ice earlier with an injury tipped a John Tonelli pass past Flyers goalie Pete Peeters at the 7:11 mark to give the Islanders their first Stanley Cup. Bryan Trottier who had 29 points in the playoffs would win the Conn Smythe trophy.

1980/81: Coming off their first Stanley Cup Championship the Islanders would get off to a fast start as Mike Bossy became just the second player in NHL history to tally 50 goals in 50 games. Bossy would go on to score 68 goals to lead the league as the Islanders finished in first place with a league best record of 48-18-14. In the playoffs the Islanders continued to roll dominating the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 3 game sweep in which they won by a combined score of 20-4. In the 2dn round the Islanders would need 6 games to get past the upstart Edmonton Oilers t o get back into the semifinals. In the Semifinals the Islanders would simply dominate their rivals from the big city beating the New York Rangers in 4 straight games by a combined score of 22-8, as Islanders fans taunted long suffering Rangers fans with a haunting chant of 1940, the last time the Rangers had won the Stanley Cup. As for the Islanders they would easily win their 2nd straight Stanley Cup jumping out to a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota North Stars before taking the series in 5 games, as Butch Goring won the Conn Smythe. 

1981/82: Coming off their second straight Stanley Cup Championship the Islanders continued to dominate the rest of the NHL, which had been realigned into geographical divisions. Still in the Patrick Division the Islanders would win the regular season title for the 2nd straight season with an impressive record of 54-16-10. Along the way the Islanders would make history setting a record for the longest winning streak in NHL history at 15. In a new playoff format where you faced your division foes in the first 2 rounds the Islanders appeared to have a cakewalk on their hands as they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first 2 games by a combined 15-3 score. However, as the series shifted to Pittsburgh the Penguins would rally and tie the series at 2 games apiece sending the series to a decisive 5th game. Things looked bleak for the Islanders who trailed the Penguins 3-1, despite out shooting their rivals 2-1, with less the 6 minutes to play in the 3rd period at the Nassau Coliseum. Mike McEwen would keep the Isles flickering hopes alive putting cutting the deficit to 3-2. Billy Smith would keep the game there, making several spectacular saves before John Tonelli tied the game and sent into overtime. In OT Tonelli would be the hero again as he scored the game winner.

1981/82: In the Patrick Division finals the Islanders would get off to a shaky start as they dropped Game 1 at home to the New York Rangers. However, once again they would taunt their Big City rivals as they won the next 3 games on the way to taking the series in 6 games. In the Wales Conference Finals the Islanders would find thing much easier as they swept the Quebec Nordiques in 4 straight to reach the Stanley Cup Finals where they faced the upstart Vancouver Canucks. Game 1 of the finals would be a shoot out as the Canucks scored 3 unanswered goals. However, the Isles would recover to send the game in to overtime on a goal by Mike Bossy. Bossy would go on to win the game in OT completing the hat trick. The rest of the series would be a breeze, as the Islanders went on to sweep the Canucks in 4 straight to become the first team based in the USA to win the Stanley Cup 3 straight seasons, as Bossy scored 7 goals in 4 games to win the Conn Smythe. 

1982/83: Coming off their 3rd straight Stanley Cup Championship the Islanders appeared to be wearing down Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy went through long goal scoring droughts and Billy Smith struggled through a stretch where he failed to win a game for 7 weeks. The Islanders would still make into the playoffs by finishing in 2nd place with a 42-26-12 record. However, most experts predicted the Isles would not make it through another cup run. In the playoffs the Islanders would knock of the Washington Capitals in 4 games to set up another battle with the New York Ranges in the Patrick Division Finals. Through the first 4 games to the 2 rivals would battle to a stalemate as both teams defended their home ice. Back on the Island for Game 5 the Isles exploded for 7 goals to take a 3-2 series lead. The Islanders would go on to take the series in 6 games. In the Conference Finals the Islanders jumped out to a 3-1 series lead before beating the Boston Burins in 6 games. Heading into Stanley Cup Finals the Isles were matched up against the high scoring Edmonton Oilers led by record breaking Wayne Gretzky who was smashing all offensive records. However, in Game 1 Billy Smith stone walled the Oilers as the Islanders too Game 1 in Edmonton 2-0. After winning Game 2 in Edmonton 6-3, the Islanders continued to frustrate the Gretzky at Nassau Coliseum limiting the high scoring Oilers to 3 goals over the last 2 games to complete the sweep and become just the 3rd team ever to win 4 straight Stanley Cups, and the first team other then the Montreal Canadiens to pull off the feat. Billy Smith who had shut down the Oilers would go on to win the Conn Smythe trophy.

1983/84: Seeking history to tie the Montreal Canadiens record for five straight Stanley Cup Championship the Islanders had another solid season capturing the Division title with a record of 50-26-4. However, in the first round of the playoffs the Islanders were pushed against the ropes by the New York Rangers as they need a 4-1 win in Game 4 at the Garden to force a decisive 5th game at home. The Islanders need to rally again in Game 5 to send it into overtime where Ken Morrow kept the Isles hopes for a 5th straight cups alive with an overtime goal. In the Patrick Finals the Islanders would overcome a Game 1 loss to beat the Washington Capitals in 5 games to reach the Conference Finals. However, once again the Islanders would find themselves in a hole as they dropped the first 2 games on the road to the Montreal Canadiens. However, the Islanders would come roaring back to take the series in 6 games to set up a rematch with the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals. In Game 1 Billy Smith would frustrate the Oilers again limiting the high scoring team to just 1 goal. However, the Islanders were unable to hit the back of the net and lost 1-0. The Isles would recover to even the series a 1 with a 6-3 win in Game 2. However, as the series shifted to Edmonton the Oilers would explode scoring 19 goals in 3 games to capture the series in 5 games ending the Islanders dynasty