1979-1980 New York Islanders: For Long Island

1979-1980 New York Islanders: For Long Island

1979-1980 New York Islanders: For Long Island

Long Island wasn’t a hot spot for professional sports in the 20th Century, at least until a certain NHL franchise showed up and called the Nassau Coliseum home. New York City had intended to expand on the success that was the New York Rangers as the World Hockey Association tried to place a team in the area. However, after 3 separate attempts the WHA’s bid to claim New York failed.

However, the New York Islanders became a success after they entered the NHL as an expansion team in 1972. At the end of the 1970’s and entering the 1980’s the Islanders became a force to be reckoned with on the ice. In the 1979-1980 regular season the Islanders went 39-28-13 with 91 points, finishing in 2nd place in the Patrick Division, 25 points behind the Philadelphia Flyers. In head-to-head play the Islanders went 2-2 against the Flyers.

Head-to-head play was pretty much a breeze for the Islanders as they went 4-0 against the Quebec Nordiques, 3-0-1 against the Montreal Canadiens, 3-1 against the Atlanta Flames, Colorado Rockies, Hartford Whalers, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-0-2 against the Winnipeg Jets, 2-1-1 against the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, and 2-2 against the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals. Nassau Coliseum was a good home for the Islanders as they went 26-9-1 at home while only going 13-18-8 on the road.

Right winger Mike Bossy had 51 goals and 41 assists for 92 points with 16 power play goals, 15 power play assists and 8 game-winning goals off 244 shots. Center Bryan Trottier had 42 goals and 62 assists for 104 points with 15 power play goals, 15 power play assists and 6 game-winning goals off 186 shots. Right winger Anders Kallur had 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points with 5 power play goals, 8 power play assists and 4 short-handed goals off 138 shots. Right winger Bob Nystrom had 21 goals and 18 assists with 4 game-winning goals off 146 shots.

Left winger Clark Gillies had 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points with 7 power play goals, 12 power play assists and 5 game-winning goals off 175 shots. Center Bob Bourne had 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points with 8 power play assists off 155 shots. Right winger Billy Harris had 15 goals and 15 assists with 3 power play assists off 91 shots. Left winger John Tonelli had 14 goals and 30 assists for 44 points off 103 shots. Center Wayne Merrick had 13 goals and 22 assists off 111 shots. Right winger Duane Sutter had 15 goals in 56 games.

Two goaltenders defended the net for the Islanders sufficiently enough, Glenn Rusch went 23-14-6, allowing 132 goals and recording a 3.04 goals against average and 3 shutouts in 2606 minutes. Billy Smith went 15-14-7, allowing 104 goals and recording a 2.95 goals against average and 2 shutouts in 2114 minutes.

The Islanders handled their first postseason test in the Preliminary Round in the Los Angeles Kings, eliminating them 3 games to 1. In Game 1 on April 8 at the Nassau Coliseum the Islanders pounded the Kings 8-1. The Kings got their only win in the series in Game 2 by the score of 6-3 on April 9. In Game 3 on April 11 at the Great Western Forum the Islanders won 4-3 in overtime. Finally the Islanders put the Kings away with a 6-0 shutout victory in Game 4 on April 13.

The Boston Bruins gave the Islanders hardly any trouble in the Quarterfinals as New York moved on with a 4 games to 1 series win. In Game 1 on April 16 at the Boston Garden the Islanders beat the Bruins 2-1 in overtime. The next day on April 17 the Islanders took Game 2 with a 5-4 overtime victory. The Islanders then took a commanding 3 games to none lead by winning Game 3 on April 19 by the score of 5–3. The Nassau Coliseum saw Boston’s only win in the series as the Bruins took Game 4 on April 21 by the score of 4-3 in overtime. However, returning to the Boston Garden for Game 6 on April 22 the Islanders eliminated the Bruins with a 4-2 win.

The Buffalo Sabres posed as a tougher challenge for the Islanders as the Semifinals between the two teams went 6 games deep. In Game 1 on April 29 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium the Islanders won 4-1. Game 2 on May 1 proved to be a long struggle but in double overtime the Islanders edged out the Sabres 2-1. In Game 3 on May 3 at the Nassau Coliseum the Islanders won 7-4. The Sabres then returned the favor on May 6 by beating the Islanders 7-4 to take Game 4. The Sabres then made their home crowd happy by shutting out the Islanders 2-0 in Game 5 on May 8 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. However, the Islanders prevented the Sabres from coming back in the series as they won Game 6 on May 10 at the Nassau Coliseum by the score of 5-2.

The 1980 Stanley Cup Finals was a memorable clash of teams who established their identities as the New York Islanders faced the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers went undefeated on their home ice at The Spectrum with a 25-0-10 record during the regular season, but that didn’t faze the Islanders.

In Game 1 on May 13 at The Spectrum the Islanders gave the Flyers their first home loss by winning a thrilling 4-3 overtime contest. Defenseman Denis Potvin had the game-winning power play goal. In Game 2 on May 15 the Flyers rebounded to crush the Islanders 8-3. The series shifted to the Nassau Coliseum for Game 3, and so did the momentum as the Islanders won 6-2 on May 17. In Game 4 on May 19 the Islanders won again by the score of 5-2. Game 5 on May 22 saw the Flyers remind the Islanders of why they were so good at The Spectrum as they won 6-3.

Game 6 would be the most talked about game for better and for worse as it went to overtime to determine a winner. With the game tied at 1-1 center Butch Goring received a drop pass from Clark Gillies, but the problem was it occurred past the blue line, which should have been called as a violation by the referee. However, Leon Stickle, the referee closest to the violation, didn’t make any call. This allowed Duane Sutter to receive a pass from Goring and then score a goal to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead. This was seen as the main momentum-stealing moment of the game.

Bob Nystrom delivered the final blow to the Flyers in order to win the Stanley Cup for the New York Islanders. Nystrom had the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Islanders the 5-4 edge. Though he had 50 minutes in penalties in the Stanley Cup Finals, Nystrom came through with 9 goals, 9 assists and 3 game-winning goals. The Conn Smythe Trophy winner for the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs would be Bryan Trottier who led the Islanders with 12 goals and 17 assists with 4 power play goals, 2 short-handed goals and 2 game-winning goals.

The 1979-1980 campaign would only be the very beginning of something special for hockey in Long Island.