New York Islanders vs Minnesota North Stars
Playoffs · Sunday, May 17, 1981 · Metropolitan Sports Center
Game summary
The New York Islanders beat the Minnesota North Stars 7–5 on Sunday, May 17, 1981 at Metropolitan Sports Center. The Islanders outshot the North Stars 29–28.
Steve Payne scored twice, Mike Bossy scored twice and Butch Goring scored a hat trick. Steve Christoff, Bobby Smith, Bobby Nystrom, Dino Ciccarelli and Bryan Trottier also scored.
Billy Smith made 23 saves on 28 shots for the win; Gilles Meloche stopped 22 of 28.
Scoring
1st period
Steve Christoff (7)Craig Hartsburg (11), Dino Ciccarelli (7)0–103:25 MNS · 
Steve Payne (15)Tim Young (13), Al MacAdam (8)0–214:09 MNS
Mike Bossy (16)Clark Gillies (7)1–214:47 NYI
Bobby Smith (7)Craig Hartsburg (12), Steve Payne (11)1–316:30 MNS ·
2nd period
Bobby Nystrom (6)John Tonelli (6), Wayne Merrick (11)2–304:10 NYI
Butch Goring (6)Denis Potvin (16), Mike Bossy (15)3–307:16 NYI · - Butch Goring (7)Clark Gillies (8)4–311:51 NYI
3rd period
- Steve Payne (16)Tim Young (14), Steve Christoff (8)4–401:11 MNS
- Mike Bossy (17)Bryan Trottier (16)5–402:05 NYI
- Butch Goring (8)Billy Carroll (8), Denis Potvin (17)6–406:34 NYI
Dino Ciccarelli (14)Bobby Smith (16)6–513:35 MNS
Bryan Trottier (11)Mike Bossy (16), Wayne Merrick (12)7–519:16 NYI ·
Team stats
NYIMNS
2928
0%0%
1/32/8
2010
00
00
00
00
Penalties
- 2:10 into the first period
Bobby Nystrom · interference2 min - 3:55 into the first period
Tom Younghans · interference2 min - 6:37 into the first periodSteve Payne · holding2 min
- 7:05 into the first periodTom Younghans · roughing2 min
- 7:05 into the first periodBobby Nystrom · roughing2 min
- 7:19 into the first periodBryan Trottier · hooking2 min
- 11:26 into the first periodDave Langevin · boarding2 min
- 15:20 into the first periodBobby Nystrom · interference2 min
- 5:39 into the second periodBobby Smith · tripping2 min
- 5:56 into the second periodGreg Smith · interference2 min
- 5:56 into the second periodClark Gillies · high sticking2 min
- 9:40 into the second periodClark Gillies · interference2 min
- 16:00 into the second periodBryan Trottier · tripping2 min
- 18:25 into the second periodMike McEwen · hooking2 min
- 4:15 into the third periodJohn Tonelli · tripping2 min
Season series
New York Islanders
| 22Mike BossyR | 2 | 2 | 4 | +3 | 4 | – |
| 91Butch GoringC | 3 | 0 | 3 | +2 | 6 | – |
| 9Clark GilliesL | 0 | 2 | 2 | +3 | 1 | – |
| 11Wayne MerrickC | 0 | 2 | 2 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 19Bryan TrottierC | 1 | 1 | 2 | +3 | 4 | – |
| 5Denis PotvinD | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2 | 2 | – |
| 23Bobby NystromR | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 25Billy CarrollC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +2 | 1 | – |
| 27John TonelliL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 12Duane SutterR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 14Bob BourneC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 1 | – |
| 28Anders KallurC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 4Bob LorimerD | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 2 | – |
| 6Ken MorrowD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 1 | – |
| 16Mike McEwenD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 1 | – |
| 24Gord LaneD | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 26Dave LangevinD | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 1 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Roland MelansonG | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 31Billy SmithG | W | 28 | 5 | .821 |
Minnesota North Stars
| 26Steve PayneL | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 3 | – |
| 15Bobby SmithC | 1 | 1 | 2 | −2 | 5 | – |
| 17Tim YoungC | 0 | 2 | 2 | −2 | 1 | – |
| 20Dino CiccarelliR | 1 | 1 | 2 | −2 | 2 | – |
| 28Steve ChristoffC | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 2 | – |
| 4Craig HartsburgD | 0 | 2 | 2 | −3 | 4 | – |
| 25Al MacAdamR | 0 | 1 | 1 | −3 | 0 | – |
| 7Neal BrotenC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 8Kent-Erik AnderssonR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 11Tom McCarthyL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 14Brad PalmerL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | – |
| 16Mike PolichC | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 29Tom YounghansR | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 2Curt GilesD | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 | – |
| 3Fred BarrettD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 10Gordie RobertsD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 23Greg SmithD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27Gilles MelocheG | L | 28 | 6 | .786 |
| 33Don BeaupreG | 0 | 0 | – |