The Playoff History of the New York Islanders vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins are set to do battle in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fifth time in history. The two franchises may not meet often in the playoffs, but they have provided some of the most memorable moments in the sport’s history.

It is a rivalry that goes back over four decades. Their first meeting was in the 1975 quarter-finals. The Penguins finished the season with 89 points which was just one more point than the Islanders. As a result, the Penguins had home ice advantage.

Ed Westfall, the Islanders’ first ever captain, led a young team with the likes of Bob Nystrom, Clark Gillies, and Denis Potvin against Ron Schock’s Penguins.

The Penguins stormed out to a commanding 3-0 series lead scoring 14 goals in the three games. The Islanders season seemed to be over because only once to that point in NHL history had a team comeback from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series; the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Remarkably the Islanders turned the series around winning the next three games holding the Penguins to just four goals. Game seven was at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. Even though the Islanders tied the series it was still no small task to win a game seven on the road.

The game remained tied until late in the third period when the Isles’ captain, Westfall, was left alone in front of the Pens net and he backhanded a shot over goaltender Gary Inness. Westfall’s goal was enough to complete the historic comeback.

The teams collided seven years later in the 1982 Patrick Division best-of-five semifinals. The Isles were in the middle of building their dynasty coming off back to back Stanley Cup titles and they looked poised to win a third.

This time it was the Penguins who tried to complete a series comeback. The Pens fell behind 2-0 and were outscored 15-2 in the two games. The Pens headed home for games three and four with hope dwindling away.

Game three went to overtime thanks to a third period tying goal from Pat Boutette. In overtime Rick Kehoe scored the winner to keep the Pens alive.

In game four the Penguins steamrolled the Islanders off the ice winning 5-2 to force game five back on Long Island.

The Pens were up 3-1 in the third period, but a Randy Carlyle hooking penalty gave the Islanders life. Mike McEwen scored to make in 3-2 at 14:33 while Carlyle watched from the penalty box. Carlyle's night got even worse when he could not handle a shoot in off the boards and coughed the puck up to John Tonelli to tie the game at 17:39. The game went to overtime.

Shortly into the first overtime Tonelli banged in his second goal of the game sending Nassau Coliseum into a frenzy and the Islanders into the next round.

Their next meeting had to wait 11 years until the 1993 Patrick Division finals. The Penguins were heavy favorites coming off back to back Stanley Cup Championships of their own. They finished the season with 119 points; the most in the NHL.

The Islanders were the clear underdogs entering the series. They finished tied with New Jersey for third in the division with just 87 points.

In game one however, the Islanders stunned the Pens winning 3-2 thanks to two shorthanded goals from Ray Ferraro and Benoit Hogue. A series that was suppose to be a straightforward route for the two-time defending champions turned into a battle.

Nevertheless, through five games the Penguins were up 3-2 with game six at the Coliseum. In front of an electric crowd the Islanders showed their resiliency fighting off elimination with a 7-5 win. Steve “Stumpy” Thomas scored the winning goal halfway through the third period to setup game seven back in Pittsburgh.

Game seven was tied until early in the third period when the Islanders scored two goals in three minutes courtesy of David Volek and Hogue. The Islanders were not in the clear yet. With under five minutes to play Ron Francis started the Penguins’ comeback with a goal that made it 3-2 and then with exactly one-minute left in regulation Rick Tocchet tied the game.

For the second straight series between these two teams they needed overtime to settle the deciding game. At 5:16 in the first overtime period Volek scored the winner dethroning the champions.

The final playoff meeting occurred in the lockout shortened 2013 season. The Penguins were the first seed in the Eastern Conference finishing with 72 points and the Islanders were the eighth seed with 55 points.

The quarterfinal matchup was the least memorable of the four. The penguins won the series in six games with a Brooks Orpik overtime goal. It was the first time the Penguins won a series against the Islanders and it was the first series between the two not to go the maximum amount of games.

Hopefully the 2019 edition can be as dramatic as the 1975, 1982, and 1993 meetings.