The Best End to an NHL Season Ever?
| 10
|
by user Alex Holowczak
In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders came into their final regular season game in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Islanders led by 1 point, which meant the Maple Leafs needed to win against the Montreal Canadiens to stand the best chance. If that happened, the Isles would need to go to New Jersey Devils and only a win would do for them to snatch eighth place.
So, Friday night, the Leafs and the Habs… A rivalry in itself, and what a game it was.
A great win for the Maple Leafs in a topsy turvy sort of game.
So all eyes focused on the final game to be held at "this building" two days later, and the Devils and Islanders, with the Islanders needing a win to go into the playoffs. Anything else would see them eliminated from the playoffs.
In dramatic style, the Number 3 Islanders Goalie (like you can spell his name…) was the unlikely hero. The buzzer beater from John Madden was unbelievable…
In the time I’ve watched hockey, that has been the greatest end to a regular season game that there’s ever been. Certainly the shootouts made a difference! But it was a real testament to the spirit of the Islanders to come back from the heartbreak of having the playoff dream shattered. It is also a testament to the fans, who made the short but nonetheless daunting journey to East Rutherford for the game, whose support no doubt helped the Islanders notch the crucial win.
The Islanders will probably go on to absolutely nothing in the playoffs against the Sabres, but the NHL itself will come back to life with things like this!
