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.
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.
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