Wednesday, May 30 Islanders silence the critics By Joy Russo ESPN.com With the franchise just eight seasons old, the New York Islanders were already branded as chokers. Islanders 4, Flyers 2 Date Result Goalie 5/13 Isles 4, Flyers 3 Smith 5/15 Flyers 8, Isles 3 Peeters 5/17 Isles 6, Flyers 2 Smith 5/19 Isles 5, Flyers 2 Smith 5/22 Flyers 6, Isles 3 Peeters 5/24 Isles 5, Flyers 4 Smith After high expectations gave way to early playoff exits the previous two seasons – ousted by Toronto in the quarterfinals in seven games in 1978, and eliminated by the rival Rangers in the 1979 semifinals. In 1980, the Islanders made it to their first Stanley Cup finals. New York would face the favored Philadelphia Flyers, who finished the regular season with a league-leading 116 points. The Isles were fifth overall with 91 points. But the Islanders seemed on their way to drinking from the Cup, winning 5-2 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Then, it happened. New York was blown out of the Spectrum 6-3 as the Flyers cut their deficit. The Philadelphia papers were all over the Islanders, using various "choke" headlines. The Islanders had a chance to clinch the Cup at home. IT looked as if they would do it this time, carrying a 4-2 lead into the third period. Then, it happened – again. The Flyers scored twice, and the Islanders would have to face their demons in overtime. The turnaround New York's third line, the "Banana Line" had a new look in the extra session. Lorne Henning was at center replacing Wayne Merrick, who had been injured earlier in Game 6, with John Tonelli and Bobby Nystrom on the sides. Henning picked up the loose puck in the neutral zone and made a pass to Tonelli, and Nystrom skated up the left side. Tonelli could have shot from the right side, but instead, made the pass to Nystrom. Flyers goalie Pete Peeters slid across the goalmouth to try and get his pads on the puck, but Nystrom had him beat and redirected the pass for the winner. At 7:11 of overtime, the Nassau Coliseum rocked. The win gave the Islanders the first of what would be four consecutive Stanley Cup victories in the early 1980s. More important, it erased the "choke" label and put Long Island on the hockey map. The MVP Nystrom was a likely MVP and hero for the Isles – the winger was a fan favorite and a member of the first team in 1972-73. But the Islanders don't get the Cup without Conn Smythe winner Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy. Trottier had 12 goals and 17 assists in 21 games for New York, while Bossy added 10 goals and 13 assists in 16 games. Joy Russo is a staff editor for ESPN.com Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories