1981 Stanley Cup Finals


The 1981 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's 1980–81 season, and the culmination of the 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Minnesota North Stars, making their first Finals appearance, and the defending champion New York Islanders, in their second Finals appearance. The Islanders would win the best-of-seven series, four games to one, to win their second Stanley Cup championship. This would be the last all-American Finals until, when the North Stars faced the Pittsburgh Penguins. Butch Goring won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player in the playoffs.

Paths to the Finals

Minnesota defeated the Boston Bruins 3–0, the Buffalo Sabres 4–1 and the Calgary Flames 4–2 to advance to the Final.
New York defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3–0, the Edmonton Oilers 4–2, and the New York Rangers 4–0 to reach the Final.

Game summaries

of the North Stars set a rookie record, scoring twenty-one points during the year's playoffs. The Islanders' much deeper lineup, however, won the day.
New York Islanders vs. Minnesota North Stars
DateVisitorsScoreHomeScore
May 12Minnesota3New York6
May 14Minnesota3New York6
May 17New York7Minnesota5
May 19New York2Minnesota 4
May 21Minnesota1New York5

New York wins the series 4–1.

Broadcasting

The series aired on CBC in Canada. In the United States, this was the first of five seasons that the Cup Finals aired on the USA Network. For the 1981 Finals only, USA simulcast the CBC feed instead of producing their own coverage.

Team rosters

Minnesota North Stars

New York Islanders

New York Islanders — 1981 Stanley Cup champions