The Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first four minutes as Steve Vickers and Dave Maloney each got an early jump on Billy Smith, but Clark Gillies put away Potvin’s first helper less than two minutes later and the three-time Norris Trophy winner set up Billy Carroll in the final seconds of the period to get the Isles to the first intermission on even terms after the early scare.
The home team jumped out of the gate in the second period as well, Eddie Johnstone scoring with Gillies in the box for tripping and Dave Maloney following up three minutes later to make it 4-2. But again, the Blueshirts could not hold the Islanders down - Bob Bourne scored ninety seconds after Maloney, and Pat Hickey’s roughing call gave Potvin and Gillies the chance to team up for a game-tying PPG for the visitors. As the period wound down, Brent Sutter got loose in the slot and put the Isles ahead for the first time with a snapshot past the ear of Steve Weeks and it was 5-4 as the clubs skated off the ice for the second time.
In the final frame, the home team was first to score yet again, Mark Pavelich pulling them back into a tie six minutes in, but the defending Cup holders immediately answered - Carroll got his second, and Butch Goring his first, in a thirty-three second span to knock the Rangers back on their heels and into a two-goal deficit with ten minutes to play. The last ten minutes of the game were dominated by the Rangers as they pressed forward - nineteen shots came at Smith in the period but, crucially, another one didn’t get behind him until Rod Duguay scored with two extra attackers but just twelve seconds left on the clock. That left the Rangers no time to mount another attack, and the Islanders skated back to Nassau County with a two-game lead. In addition to his four assists, Potvin displayed his 200-foot game with a hit and four takeaways. Pavelich and Reijo Ruotsalainen led the Ranger attack with seven shots on goal apiece. FINAL: New York Islanders 7, New York Rangers 6.
Contribution to the Facebook co-op replay . . .
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| The Islanders needed every bit of Denis Potvin's influence to win at MSG |
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