Where were you in 82?

WHERE WERE YOU IN 82???
TO START WITH…HALF OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS CURRENT ROSTER WAS NOT EVEN BORN…
SO THERE’S THAT…
NEVERTHELESS…IT IS NOW ALMOST 28 YEARS SINCE THE CANUCKS MET THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL…
THE YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD FOR THE ISLANDERS…
THEY HAVE NOT WON A PLAYOFF SERIES SINCE 1993…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW LONG THAT’S BEEN…
THAT YEAR…RAY FERRARO WAS JUST 28 YEARS OLD WHEN HE SCORED THE WINNING GOAL FOR THE ISLANDERS IN DOUBLE OVERTIME TO BEAT WASHINGTON IN GAME 4 OF THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS…
THIS SEASON THE ISLANDERS ARE 29TH IN NHL ATTENDANCE AND ARE NOW THREATENING TO RE-LOCATE TO KANSAS CITY…
WHICH MEANS…
TONIGHT’S GAME AT GM PLACE…COULD BE THE VERY LAST MEETING FOR THESE TWO TEAMS…
BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY IN 82…
THE ISLANDERS WERE A DYNASTY…
THEY WERE IN THEIR WAY TO WINNING 4 STRAIGHT STANLEY CUPS…
AND THEIR LINE UP WAS FILLED WITH FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS…INCLUDING:
BRYAN TROTTIER…
MIKE BOSSY…
DENIS POTVIN…
CLARK GILLIES…AND BILLY SMITH…
IT WAS ALSO A SPECIAL TIME FOR THE CANUCKS…
THE 82 PLAYOFFS WERE VANCOUVER’S FIRST TRIP TO THE FINALS…
IT WAS ALSO THE BIRTH OF THE WHITE TOWEL…
IT WAS ROGER NIELSON…KING RICHARD…STAN SMYL…AND TIGER WILLIAMS…
BUT IT WAS ALSO HAROLD SNEPTS AND GIVEAWAY IN OVERTIME IN GAME 1…WHICH RESULTED IN THE WINNING GOAL BY MIKE BOSSY…
IN ALL BOSSY SCORED 7 GOALS IN THE FINALS…AND WON THE CONN SMYTHE…
IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME FOR HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…
BUT TO TRULYUNDERSTAND IT ALL…
YOU REALLY HAD TO BE THERE…