SI Flashback: Stanley Cup 1984

An era ended as Edmonton's Oilers wrested the Stanley Cup from the Islanders after Wayne Gretzky got going in Game 4

By Jack Falla

Mr. Smith goes ghost-chasing As the series moved to Edmonton [tied 1-1] for Games 3, 4, and 5 ... Smith still seemed to be invincible. "That's because a lot of our shots are up at his waist or glove," said Sather. "The history on Smith is that he gives up goals low. We have to shoot low and go for rebounds." Sather was right, and Game 3 became the turning point of the series. After a first period Clark Gillies goal put New York ahead, Lowe went in on Smith down the left side. Instead of shooting, Lowe risked cutting in on the goal, teasing Smith with the puck and drawing it around him when the goalie lunged. Lowe slid the puck into an empty net. That move, in several different forms, would be repeated through the rest of the playoffs as Smith began blocking shadows and moving on shots not taking. The fine Mess With the Islanders up 2-1 in the second period [of Game 3], Mark Messier -- later named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, i.e., MVP of the playoffs -- scored a monster goal, "the biggest of the series," Lowe would say later. After taking a breakout pass, Messier, one of the strongest and fastest Oiler forwards, bore down on veteran defenseman Denis Potvin and rookie defenseman Gord Dineen. "Who would you pick? Me or Potvin?" Dineen said later. Messier undressed the 21-year-old Dineen, faking him outside, cutting back inside, and beat Smith with a 20-footer to the short side. Speed kills, and the Oilers seemed to have it all. Another dynasty down "We have too many passengers," said Al Arbour. And New York assistant coach Lorne Henning, when asked if some of the players seemed to feel that four Cups were enough, hesitated for several seconds before smiling grimly. "Maybe," he said. The Islanders' most notable disappearing act was that of Mike Bossy, who had scored 51 goals in the regular season. The Boss was held without a goal for the series and without a shot in the last two games, in which he played dispiritedly. "I come off the ice at the end of my shift and I'm tired but I haven't touched the puck," he said at practice on Friday afternoon, apparently as confused as anyone by his slump. The Islanders were also hampered by injuries to defenseman Dave Langevin (shoulder), Stefan Persson (shoulder) and Bob Nystrom (knee), all of whom missed some games and played ineffectively in others. Bob Bourne, one of last season's playoff heroes, didn't play at all after he strained his left knee against Montreal.

After watching one goalie try to dive for five and then go ghost-chasing, peering in vain for a glimpse of the Boss of old and marveling at Grant Fuhr's goaltending and Wayne Gretzky's uncharacteristic forays into the corners, one might have lost sight of the real meaning of the 1984 Stanley Cup finals. Which is: In wresting the Cup from the four-time-champion New York Islanders four games to one with a 5-2 victory at Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum last Saturday, the Oilers proved that a creative and high-scoring offense can win big over an orthodox bump-and-grind defense.

The Oilers may well have launched a new era in the pro game. Take heart ye Ranger, Nordique, North Star and Euro-hockey fans, the sleek may yet inherit the ice. Besides being the highest-scoring team ever to win the Cup, the Oilers are also the first NHL team to take the Cup west of Chicago and the youngest modern-era expansion team -- they entered the NHL five years ago -- to win the title.

And you can also win, as the Oilers did, by learning from those who have been there before you.

"We had a great teacher in the Islanders," said Edmonton general manager and coach Glen Sather. Patterned forechecking and disciplined play in front of its own goal were crucial to Edmonton's success. Without that defense, it lost in four straight last year.

"Glen told us, 'In their end you can play your way, but in our end you play my way,'" said Kevin Lowe, the Oilers' best defenseman throughout the series.

"There were times they looked like us," said the Islanders' Mike Bossy ...

Just before the Oilers took the ice for Game 5 on Saturday, Gretzky stood up in the dressing room and, according to Lowe, said, "I've had a lot of individual honors and personal recognition, but nothing I've ever done, won or received means as much to me as winning the Cup."

With that, Gretzky opened the game with a pair of first-period goals on Billy Smith, who was once again replaced [as he was in Game 3 after allowing six goals] by Rollie Melanson ... Melanson allowed a goal by Ken Linesman within 38 seconds and then Jari Kurri scored just over four minutes later ...

Two goals in the first 35 seconds of the third period by Islander rookie Pat LaFontaine had Sather pacing the bench, telling his players to relax. From then on the Oiler defense tightened up ...

And the end of the game brought dozens of fans onto the ice where they engulfed their Oilers. There developed a giant human swarm, with Gretzky in the middle holding high the Cup. This year it signified not just the winning of the championship, but also the changing of the guard -- and the game.

They said it ...

Issue date: May 28, 1984