It Happened at the Coliseum … on APRIL 10th

31 years ago tonight (1984) - Some called it the “Greatest Overtime Ever Played”.  

Everyone called it the Isles 17^th straight series win as Ken Morrow scored 8:56 into overtime to give the Isles a 3-2 victory over the Rangers to win the best-of-5 series 3 games to 2.

Ron Greschner and Mike Bossy traded first period goals as the opening session ended even.  Bossy’s goal came with just 11 seconds to play in the first.

After a scoreless second period, Tomas Jonsson gave the Isles a 2-1 lead at 7:56 of the third.  In those days when the Isles had a late lead victory was almost always guaranteed.  But on this night, it would be Don Maloney who would tie the game with 39 seconds to play on a disputed goal when it was ruled that his rebound had not been with a high stick.

The Rangers had outshot the Isles 36-18 through three periods.  In the intermission leading to overtime I ran into Frank Brown, then the beat writer covering the Rangers. I asked Frank who he thought would win; Frank responded “We both know who should win (the Rangers)”.  I laughed, and replied “We both know who will win.”

8:56 later, Morrow made sure I wasn’t a liar, beating Glen Hanlon with the 15^th shot (8 by the Isles) of the overtime. "I'm going to take things as they come; thank goodness they're coming my way right now", he told CBS2's Steve Albert.

Here's Bob Cole and Dick Irvin with the last minutes of overtime as called on Hockey Night In Canada:


Here's a link to  an (edited) version of the entire CBC telecast:
http://video.islanders.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=3197 

Relive the game through Stan Fischler’s eyes, here: http://www.msg.com/content/msgsite/en/teams/islanders/the-maven-s-haven/greatest-rivalries--rangers-islanders--april-10--1984-.html

Here's some sports report accounts, first Warner Wolf and then Sal Marchiano :

Also on this date: (1975) – In the first playoff game ever played at the Coliseum, the Rangers jumped all over the Isles early, raced to a 4-1 lead after 1 period, a 6-1 lead midway through the second period and defeated the Isles 8-3.  It’s the only time in Isles playoff history that they have allowed 8 goals in a game at home. JP Parise scored the Isles’ first goal; he’d score their last goal the next night in The Garden – changing the face of New York hockey history for a generation.

All-time, the Isles have played three regular season and two playoff games on April 10th at the Coliseum; they have compiled a 1-2-0 regular season and 1-1 playoff record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.