It Happened at the Coliseum … on APRIL 17th

34 years ago tonight (1981) – Only one defenseman in Islander history has ever scored a playoff hat trick, and not surprisingly it was Denis Potvin.  Potvin scored three times in a game that still dots the Islander and NHL record books- a 6-3 win over Edmonton to give the Isles a 2 game to 0 lead in the series.

Glenn Anderson gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead in the first period on a power play goal – what made the power play unusual was that it was Butch Goring in the penalty box.  Goring had gone through the entire regular season without taking a penalty.

Potvin scored two of his power play goals in the second period.  Goring also scored on the power play, but goals by Risto Siltanen and Anderson made it 3-all after two periods.

Potvin would get the winning goal, completing his hat trick, with his third power play goal at 3:47 of the third period. Mike Bossy gave the Isles a 5-3 lead with 12 minutes to play before Bryan Trottier cemented matters with a shorthanded empty-net goal.

The teams combined for four power play goals in the second period and six in the game; both are club records.  Potvin also had two assists as his 5 points tied Bryan Trottier’s club mark set 9 days earlier.  Potvin is the only player in Islander history to score 3 power play goals in a playoff game (sharing the NHL record, and the only defenseman) and was the first (later joined by Mike Bossy) to score 2 power play goals in a period.

Potvin would finish the series with 5 power play goals – the only defenseman in NHL history to ever do so.

The boxscore:

First Period

1 - EDM : Anderson 2 (Gretzky, Messier) (PP) 6:11 

Penalties - EDM - Coffey 1:04 ; NYI - Goring 4:35 ; NYI - Mcewen 13:15 ; EDM - Anderson 14:59 ; 

Second Period

2 - NYI : Potvin D 3 (Bossy, Trottier) (PP) 2:26; 3 - NYI : Goring 2 (Persson, Potvin D) (PP) 4:47; 4 - EDM : Siltanen 2 (Hagman, Anderson) (PP) 6:05; 5 - NYI : Potvin D 4 (Goring, Mcewen) (PP) 9:44; 6 - EDM : Anderson 3 (Messier) (EV) 12:23 

Penalties - EDM - Siltanen 2:07 ; EDM - Gretzky 3:28 ; EDM - Coffey 4:41 ; NYI - Trottier 4:41 ; EDM - Semenko ( (maj)) 5:55 ; NYI - Howatt 5:55 ; NYI - Merrick 5:55 ; EDM - Coffey ( (maj)) 8:32 ; NYI - Bourne ( (maj)) 8:32 ; 

Third Period

7 - NYI : Potvin D 5 (Bossy, Gillies) (PP) 3:47; 8 - NYI : Bossy 5 (Potvin D, Morrow) (EV) 7:59; 9 - NYI : Trottier 7 (Bourne) (SH-EN) 17:41 

Penalties - EDM - Kurri 2:48 ; NYI - Nystrom 16:12 ; EDM - Bench 19:26 ;

Potvin went into the Hall of Fame along with Mike Bossy  -they were profiled in this documentary, narrated by Jiggs McDonald.

Also on this date: (1975) – The Isles threw 47 shots at Gary Inness, but it wasn’t enough as Pittsburgh told a 3 game to 0 lead in the NHL Quarter-Finals with a 6-4 win.  The Penguins would not win another game.

Also on this date: (1978) – Mike Bossy and Mike Kaszycki, both playing their first playoff game, each scored a goal and added an assist as the Isles raced to a 3-0 lead and a 4-1 win over Toronto in the first game of the NHL Quarter-Finals. Kaszycki would score only one more playoff goal; Bossy on the other hand scored 84 more.

All-time, the Isles have played no regular season and four playoff games on April 17th at the Coliseum; they have compiled a 3-1 playoff record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.