New York Islanders Ranking Every Stanley Cup Championship

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UNIONDALE, NY – MARCH 02: Denis Potvin of the ‘Core of the Four’ New York Islanders Stanley Cup victories take part in a ceremony prior to the Islanders game against the Florida Panthers at the Nassau Coliseum March 2, 2008 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

1981

In 1981 the New York Islanders finished with the most point in the NHL for the third time in franchise history. With a 48-18-10 record, none were better than the Islanders 110 points.

They put up an insane 355 goals for that season. Leading the way was Mike Bossy with 68 goals and 119 points. The Islanders were once again dominating the NHL.

Come the playoffs that domination continued. In the preliminary round, they eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in three straight games. And it wasn’t even close. The New York Islanders won by a 20-4 goal differential. Over three games they outscored the Leafs by 16.

In round two the Islanders faced the Edmonton Oilers and Wayne Gretzky. They gave the Islanders some trouble, but with a dominant power play, the Islanders dispatched the Great One in six games.

Round three brought the cross-town rival Rangers for a third subway series. The Isles lost the last one in ’79 and they’d make the Rangers pay. The Islanders swept the Rangers, and with an embarrassing goal differential. The Isles scored 22 goals to the Rangers eight. Beatdown.

It was all a relative walk in the park for the Islanders that season and in the playoffs. And the finals weren’t any different. The Islanders dispatched the North Stars in five games. All said the Islanders lost three games on their way to their second straight Stanley Cup.

Next: Options for Isles Between the Pipes

In terms of romping the opposition, this was up there. They may not have had the same exact success as the 1981-1982 regular season. But their triumph in the playoffs was masterful, start to finish.