The 1981 New York Islanders came into the season having already established their championship bona fides, winning a breakthrough Stanley Cup in 1980. Now they took the next step, the one to dominance. They were the best team in the NHL all season long and then coasted through the playoffs to their second straight championship. […]
There weren’t a ton of dramatics in the 1981 NHL playoffs, but the New York Islanders left no doubt who was best, winning their second straight Stanley Cup. The Isles had the league’s best offense, led by All-Star forward Mike Bossy and his 68 goals, and the impeccable passing skills of center Bryan Trottier. Defenseman Denis Potvin was an All-Star and Billy Smith was in net as they led a unit that was fourth-best in the NHL in goals allowed.
This is part of a series of sports history articles aimed at preserving the best moments of the modern sports era, from 1976 to the present. The focus is team sports—college & pro basketball and football, major league baseball and hockey. This article offers a snapshot of 1981 sports, a year highlighted by Dwight Clark’s catch, a wild NCAA Tournament and an epic Game 7 at Boston Garden.