During the NHL’s hiatus, we at the Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for May 17th, featuring the 1982-83 New York Islanders.
Today in Hockey History
1982-83 New York Islanders Win Team’s Fourth Stanley Cup
1983: Billy Smith makes 24 saves to win the Conn Smythe as the Isles beat the Edmonton Oilers, 4-2, in a four-game sweep. Bryan Trottier, John Tonelli and Mike Bossy score in a span of 1:37 to give New York a big lead. Bossy is the first player since Jack Darragh in 1920-21 to score the Cup-winning goal in back-to-back years.
The Islanders are the first American team to win four straight Stanley Cups. New York is able to keep Wayne Gretzky from scoring a goal in the Final. Edmonton would get their revenge the next season by winning the Cup in five games.
Other Notable Events
1979: Ken Dryden is the first goalie to record a point in a Cup Final game. He logs an assist in the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Game 3 win over the New York Rangers.
1981: Butch Goring is the first player in NHL history to get a hat trick with two different teams in a playoff game. His three goals lead the Isles past the Minnesota North Stars, 7-5, in Game 3. Goring had scored a post-season hat trick with the Los Angeles Kings four years earlier.
1987: Gretzky is the first to get 200 playoff points in the Oilers 4-2 Game 1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He gets a goal and an assist to start the Stanley Cup Final in style.
1991: Mario Lemieux scores in his seventh straight post-season game as the Pittsburgh Penguins get a 4-1 Game 2 win over the North Stars.
1994: Mike Richter‘s fourth shutout of the playoffs on 16 saves give the Rangers a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. New York wins Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.
2011: Tyler Seguin sets a rookie record for points in a period in a 6-5 Game 2 win for the Boston Bruins. Seguin gets two goals and two assists as the Bruins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern final.
2013: Sidney Crosby‘s hat trick gives the Penguins a 4-3 Game 2 win over the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern semifinal. Crosby reaches 100 post-season points with the hat trick.
2017: Ottawa chases Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in what proves to be his last game with the cub. The Senators down the Penguins, 5-1, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Happy Birthday to You
1915: Carl Liscombe
1963: Doug Smith
1971: Bill Lindsay
1993: John Gilmour
