It Happened at the Coliseum … on APRIL 18th

Flatley was inducted into the Isles Hall of Fame in 2012

31 years ago tonight (1984) – Rookie Pat Flatley scored two goals as part of a 4-goal second period as the Isles rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Washington 5-3, and eliminate the Capitals 4 games to 1 in the Division Final round.

It was the Isles’ 18^th straight series victory, and advanced the Isles into the Conference Final against Montreal.

Doug Jarvis and Dave Christian scored first period goals for Washington and the Caps, who outshot the Isles 15-5 in the opening session, took a 2-0 lead into intermission.  'We thought the pressure was on Washington,'' Flatley told the NY Times’ Gerry Eskenazi, ''We had nothing to lose.''

Bryan Trottier got the Isles on the board just 1:18 into the second period; Flatley and Anders Kallur (the latter shorthanded) scored 65 seconds apart to give the Isles the lead.  When Flatley converted on the power play with 3:03 left in the second period it looked like the Isles might coast to victory.

However, the Caps weren’t done.  Bobby Carpenter’s power play tally, with 23 seconds left in the middle session cut the Isles’ lead to 4-3 after two periods.  Clark Gillies, who was in the box for Carpenter’s tally, took a major penalty just four seconds into the third period but the Caps could not get even.

Greg Gilbert’s power play goal with 1:43 to play sent the Isles into the Conference Finals and the Capitals into summer.  It was the second straight year that the Isles eliminated the Caps; they would do it again the following year as well.

The Isles played the game without Denis Potvin, who was attending his father’s funeral. 

Billy Smith tied Ken Dryden’s NHL record with his 80^th playoff win; he would win 8 more playoff games in his career.  His 88 career wins is now tied-4^th all-time.

Also on this date: (1979) - The Isles had dominated Game 1, but needed a Mike Bossy goal 2:31 into overtime, to defeat Chicago 1-0 in game 2 of their quarter-final series.  Tony Esposito stopped the first 39 shots but couldn’t stop Bossy from scoring his second career overtime goal.  Billy Smith made 22 saves in the Isles only 1-0 playoff win on Coliseum ice.  (They have only one other 1-0 win, in Pittsburgh in game 7 in 1975.)

It was Bossy's 4th goal of the series, having had a hat trick in game 1. Here's some limited video of the winning goal, which ended the first 1-0 overtime game in the NHL in 25 years.

All-time, the Isles have played two regular season and three playoff games on April 18th at the Coliseum; they have compiled a 1-1-0 regular season and a 2-1 playoff record on this date at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale.