NHL Update

The 1981 Stanley Cup finalists, that year’s eventual, repeat champion champion New York Islanders and the Dallas Stars (then as the Minnesota North Stars, it was the Isles in 5 games, which is the case in their first round win vs Washington (Capitals), completed last night) wrapped up their first round series last night.

Rookie Denis (as in Potvin, now I am getting carried away with Isles/Stars “stuff”) Gurianov had 4 goals as the Stars overcame a (3-0) deficit and took the Calgary Flames in 6 games, the same result as Minne’s semi-final win vs the Flames in ’81, the Flames first season in Calgary.

Next the Stars will meet the Colorado Avalanche, the second seed in the West. Las Vegas (Golden Knights), the West top seed, awaits the Canucks/Blues series winner.

The Islanders will face the East top seed Philadelphia Flyers in a ’75 semis and ’80 final redux, if Philly wins vs Montreal (Canadiens).

Should the Canadiens, who trail the series 3 games to 2, rally to win, they would face the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston (Bruins) would be the Islanders’ “quarters” opponent.

Denis Gurianov, pictured above, joins Tony Hrkac (he did as a St. Louis Blues player also in the round of 16, 32 years ago) as the only NHL rookies to tally 4 goals in a playoff game.

Don’t look now, but Hrkac was a member of the Stars’ lone title team in 1999.