Road to the Cup - May 15, 1980 -- Philadelphia 8, Isles 3 (Best-of-7 series is tied 1-1)

40 Years Ago Tonight

By Eric Hornick

Game 2

Philadelphia 8, Isles 3

The Philadelphia Flyers had stormed through the league in the regular season and were not about to squander their chance at a Stanley Cup without a fight.  After Butch Goring scored the game's first goal, the Flyers scored 8 of the next 9 and rolled to an 8-3 win over the Isles to even the Stanley Cup Final at 1-1,  

Paul Holmgren recorded a hat trick for the Flyers, scoring once in each period; he became the first American to record a hat trick in a Stanley Cup Final game. Special teams continued to play a big role, as the the Flyers scored three PPG's and the Isles scored two.

The game was not without it's nasty points as Gord Lane and Bill Barber received coincidental majors for high sticking, and Behn Wilson was ejected after interceding in a fight between Duane Sutter and Mel Bridgman in the third.  In all, 84 penalty minutes were assessed, including 50 to the Flyers.  Al Arbour told Parton Keese of the NY Times, "We'll give it right back to them if that's what they want.  If they're going to be spear carriers, they're going to get speared right back, if the ref won't call it."

The series was even, and the Flyers knew that they would play at least one more game in Philadelphia (Game 5).   

The Scoring:

1st Period

03:23 NYI Butch Goring (5) Clark Gillies, Duane Sutter

07:22 PHI PP Paul Holmgren (7) Brian Propp, Bob Dailey

08:37 PHI Bob Kelly (1)         Behn Wilson, Bobby Clarke

17:23 PHI Bobby Clarke (6) Jimmy Watson, Bill Barber

2nd Period

01:06 PHI Bill Barber (12) Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach

03:28 NYI PP Bryan Trottier (9) Mike Bossy

04:13 PHI PP Paul Holmgren (8) Ken Linseman, Bill Barber

15:47 PHI PP Brian Propp (3) Bob Dailey, Bobby Clarke

3rd Period

01:40 PHI Tom Gorence (3) Bob Dailey, Mel Bridgman

04:19 PHI Paul Holmgren (9) Ken Linseman, Behn Wilson

15:00 NYI PP Butch Goring (6) Bob Bourne, Stefan Persson

The Series:

Game 1: Isles 4, Philadelphia 3 (OT)

Game 2: Philadelphia 8, Isles 3

Game 3: May 17 at Isles

Game 4: May 19 at Isles
Game 5: May 22 at Philadelphia (if necessary)

Game 6: May 24 at Isles (if necessary)

Game 7: May 27 at Philadelphia (if necessary)
(Isles lead series, 1-0)

Mini-Skinny:
The Isles were outshot by Philadelphia 31-23.... Billy Smith, who was removed after 40 minutes, fell to 12-3 in the playoffs while Pete Peeters improved to 7-3....Chico Resch played the final 20 minutes in his last playoff appearance as an Isle; Chico would not play in another playoff game until 1986 (as a Flyer)...The eight goals allowed tied the club playoff record (set in 1975 vs. NYR); the record stands today...It was the second hat trick allowed by the Isles in the 1980 playoffs (Gilbert Perreault had the other) and the third allowed in club history (Rick MacLeish in 1975 for Philadelphia); some guy named Wayne Gretzky was the only other opponent with a playoff hat trick against the Isles in the Cup era.

Overtime is Our Time!
1st round vs Los Angeles: Game 3 (W 4-3 Morrow 6:55)
Quarter-Finals vs Boston: Game 1 (W 2-1 Gillies 1:02)
Quarter-Finals vs Boston: Game 2 (W 5-4 Bourne 1:24)
Quarter-Finals vs Boston: Game 4 (L 4-3 O'Reilly 17:13)
Semi-Finals vs Buffalo: Game 2 (W 2-1 Nystrom 21:20)

Final vs Philadelphia: Game 1 (W 4-3 Potvin 4:07)

Isles Scoring Leaders thru 17 Games

Bryan Trottier 9-14-23
Bob Bourne 10-7-17

Butch Goring 6-10-16

Mike Bossy 7-8-15
Bob Nystrom 6-9-15

Isles +/- Leaders thru 17 Games

Bob Lorimer +12
Denis Potvin +9
Garry Howatt +9
Butch Goring +8

Isles Penalty Minute Leaders thru 17 Games

Duane Sutter 70

Garry Howatt 65
Gord Lane 64

Clark Gillies 50

The series was even but the Isles had earned a split in Philadelphia and were heading home for game 3 and 4.The Isles would not score an even strength goal in game 3, but could they find another way? We'll pick up the story on Sunday, the 40th anniversary of game 3.