Panthers Brad Marchand closing in on Stanley Cup mark held by NY Islanders legend

As Brad Marchand continues to light it up for the Florida Panthers, scoring six goals in five games during a thrilling Stanley Cup Final versus the Edmonton Oilers, hockey fans are reminded of those rare postseason performances that rise to iconic status. And of all the post-seasons and Stanley Cup Finals that came before, arguably, Mike Bossy had the best.

In 1982, New York Islanders swept the Vancouver Canucks in four games to capture their third consecutive Stanley Cup, cementing their dynasty. The MVP of that spring? None other than Bossy, who claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy after a blistering postseason run. Bossy scored in 12 of 19 playoff games, including every game of the Final, joining Johnny Bucyk (1970) as the only players in the modern era (post-1944) to do so.

According to StatsCentre, Bossy's seven goals during that series are tied with Jean Béliveau and Wayne Gretzky for the most all-time in a Stanley Cup Final, with Marchand one behind. The catch is that both Béliveau (1956 with Montreal) and Gretzky (1985 with Edmonton) scored their seven goals in five games, while Bossy did it in only four.

Bossy finished the playoffs with 17 goals, tying his own franchise record, and added an exclamation point with a legendary, airborne backhand goal in Game 3—still considered one of the best in NHL playoff history. "I sure am glad I won it," Bossy said of winning the Conn Smythe. "Last year, I thought I had a chance… but I'm very glad that we won the Stanley Cup. That's our first concern… but I'm sure glad that this came along with it."

Marchand and the Panthers have one more game to win before he can hoist the Stanley Cup (and maybe the Conn Smythe) so he'll have at least one, and maybe two more chances to tie and surpass Bossy, Beliveau and Gretzky for the most Stanley Cup Final goals of all-time. Even if he does, it will be hard for him or any player that comes after him, to do what Bossy accomplished in a series sweep.