New York Rangers vs New York Islanders
Playoffs · Thursday, April 30, 1981 · Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Game summary
The New York Islanders beat the New York Rangers 7–3 on Thursday, April 30, 1981 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Islanders outshot the Rangers 29–20.
Butch Goring scored twice and Mike Bossy scored twice. Wayne Merrick, Doug Sulliman, Dean Talafous, Anders Hedberg, Clark Gillies and Anders Kallur also scored.
Billy Smith made 17 saves on 20 shots for the win; Steve Baker stopped 22 of 29.
Scoring
1st period
Wayne Merrick (2)Denis Potvin (11)0–100:48 NYI
Doug Sulliman (1)Don Maloney (6)1–101:57 NYR
Dean Talafous (3)Ron Duguay (8), Steve Vickers (6)2–108:18 NYR
Anders Hedberg (8)Ulf Nilsson (8), Ron Greschner (8)3–116:39 NYR ·
2nd period
Butch Goring (3)Bob Lorimer (3)3–208:11 NYI · 
Mike Bossy (9)Mike McEwen (5), Denis Potvin (12)3–310:21 NYI · - Butch Goring (4)Gord Lane (5), John Tonelli (2)3–412:44 NYI
3rd period
Clark Gillies (6)Mike McEwen (6), Mike Bossy (14)3–512:59 NYI · 
Anders Kallur (2)Bryan Trottier (11)3–614:27 NYI · - Mike Bossy (10)Ken Morrow (4)3–717:47 NYI
Team stats
NYRNYI
2029
0%0%
1/72/6
2121
00
00
00
00
Penalties
- 9:36 into the first period
Bryan Trottier · charging2 min - 12:08 into the first period
Don Maloney · interference2 min - 15:35 into the first periodDave Langevin · holding2 min
- 17:38 into the first periodEd Hospodar · interference2 min
- 5:32 into the second periodRon Duguay · hooking2 min
- 7:22 into the second periodMike McEwen · tripping2 min
- 10:16 into the second periodRon Duguay · hooking2 min
- 10:55 into the second periodHector Marini · high sticking2 min
- 10:55 into the second periodHector Marini · fighting5 min
- 10:55 into the second periodJere Gillis · high sticking2 min
- 10:55 into the second periodJere Gillis · fighting5 min
- 16:31 into the second periodBryan Trottier · elbowing2 min
- 19:39 into the second periodEd Hospodar · elbowing2 min
- 10:15 into the third periodAnders Kallur · interference2 min
- 12:47 into the third periodTom Laidlaw · interference2 min
- 13:14 into the third periodGord Lane · interference2 min
- 18:20 into the third periodGord Lane · holding2 min
- 18:48 into the third periodCarol Vadnais · cross checking2 min
Season series
New York Rangers
| 8Steve VickersL | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 9Doug SullimanL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 10Ron DuguayC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 11Ulf NilssonC | 0 | 1 | 1 | −3 | 0 | – |
| 12Don MaloneyL | 0 | 1 | 1 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 15Anders HedbergR | 1 | 0 | 1 | −3 | 3 | – |
| 19Dean TalafousC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 4Ron GreschnerD | 0 | 1 | 1 | −4 | 1 | – |
| 6Jere GillisL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 14Mike AllisonR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 21Lance NetheryC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 25Peter WallinR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2Tom LaidlawD | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 0 | – |
| 3Barry BeckD | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 4 | – |
| 5Carol VadnaisD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 23Ed HospodarD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 24Chris KotsopoulosD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31Steve WeeksG | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 35Steve BakerG | L | 29 | 7 | .759 |
New York Islanders
| 22Mike BossyR | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 91Butch GoringC | 2 | 0 | 2 | +2 | 5 | – |
| 5Denis PotvinD | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 16Mike McEwenD | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 9Clark GilliesL | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 11Wayne MerrickC | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 5 | – |
| 19Bryan TrottierC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 27John TonelliL | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 28Anders KallurC | 1 | 0 | 1 | +2 | 2 | – |
| 4Bob LorimerD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +3 | 1 | – |
| 6Ken MorrowD | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | – |
| 24Gord LaneD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +2 | 1 | – |
| 12Duane SutterR | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 23Bobby NystromR | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 25Billy CarrollC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 29Hector MariniR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 26Dave LangevinD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Roland MelansonG | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 31Billy SmithG | W | 20 | 3 | .850 |