1981–82 New York Islanders season



The 1981-82 New York Islanders season was the 10th season for the franchise in the National Hockey League. The Islanders finished 1st in the Patrick Division and defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the 1982 Stanley Cup Finals 4 games to 0.

Record Winning Streak
From January 21 to February 20 the Islanders set an NHL record by winning 15 consecutive games. Since regular season overtime did not yet exist, all of these games were won in regulation time. The record was surpassed in 1993 by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won 17 consecutive games, two of which were in overtime.

New York Islanders 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
The Islanders won the first two games of the best-of-5 series, outscoring Pittsburgh 15-3. The Penguins then came back to even the series with two victories of their own. In Game 5, the Islanders came from behind to win in overtime. The tying and winning goals were both scored by John Tonelli.


 * April 7 Islanders 8, Penguins 1
 * April 8 Islanders 7, Penguins 2
 * April 10 Penguins 2, Islanders 1(OT)
 * April 11 Penguins 5, Islanders 2
 * April 13 Islanders 4, Penguins 3(OT)

Islanders win series, 3 games to 2

New York Islanders 4, New York Rangers 2
After losing the opener, the Islanders came back to win the next three games and, eventually, the series in six. The key goals were Bryan Trottier's overtime winner of Game 3 and Dave Langevin's in the third period of Game 6 that proved to be the series clincher.


 * April 15 Rangers 5, Islanders 4
 * April 16 Islanders 7, Rangers 2
 * April 18 Islanders 4, Rangers 3(OT)
 * April 19 Islanders 5, Rangers 3
 * April 21 Rangers 4, Islanders 2
 * April 23 Islanders 5, Rangers 3

New York Islanders 4, Quebec Nordiques 0
The Islanders defeated the Nords decisively in the first two games played at the Nassau Coliseum. In Quebec, they won Game 3 in overtime on a goal scored by Wayne Merrick and finished the sweep three days later to advance to the Finals.


 * April 27 Islanders 4, Nordiques 1
 * April 29 Islanders 5, Nordiques 2
 * May 1  Islanders 5, Nordiques 4(OT)
 * May 4  Islanders 4, Nordiques 2

Islanders win series, 4 games to 0

New York Islanders 4, Vancouver Canucks 0
The Canucks had their best chance to win a game in the first one, as a Jim Nill short-handed marker gave them a 5–4 lead with only seven minutes to play in regulation time. However, the Islanders tied it when Mike Bossy banged home a loose puck after goaltender Richard Brodeur had collided with his own defenceman, Harold Snepsts, while trying to smother it. In the dying seconds of the first overtime period, Snepsts attempted to clear the puck up the middle, but it was intercepted by Bossy, who completed his hat trick with two seconds left on the clock to win the game for the Islanders. In game two, the Canucks led 4–3 after two periods, but the Isles came back to win again.

The series then shifted to Vancouver, where the Canucks were boosted by a boisterous, towel-waving Vancouver crowd and had a great first period, but failed to score on Billy Smith, who was brilliant. The Islanders went on to win 3–0, and then completed the sweep with a 3–1 victory on May 16 to win their third straight Cup.

Mike Bossy scored 7 goals in the four games and won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Player Stats
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts

1982 New York Islanders Stanley Cup Champions
Gord Lane, Jean Potvin, Denis Potvin, Stefan Persson, Tomas Jonsson, Mike McEwen, Ken Morrow, Dave Langevin, Brent Sutter, Duane Sutter, Clark Gillies, Hector Marini, Wayne Merrick, Bob Bourne, Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Bob Nystrom, John Tonelli, Anders Kallur, Butch Goring, Billy Carroll, Roland Melanson, Billy Smith, Al Arbour (coach), Bill Torrey (general manager), Ron Waske, Jim Pickard (trainers)

Awards and Records
Prince of Wales Trophy: New York Islanders
 * Vezina Trophy: Billy Smith
 * Conn Smythe Trophy: Mike Bossy
 * Lady Byng Trophy: Mike Bossy, Runner-Up
 * Mike Bossy, Right Wing, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Billy Smith, Goalie, NHL First Team All-Star
 * Bryan Trottier, Center, NHL Second Team All-Star
 * John Tonelli, Left Wing, NHL Second Team All-Star