1981-82 was also a year of playoff upsets. The New York
Islanders were looking for their third Stanley Cup championship in a row. The
Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky, were assured to challenge the Islanders
for the ultimate prize. At least, that’s the way it should have played out.
Four of the eight first round matchups were upsets. The
Quebec Nordiques ousted their provincial rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, three
games to two. The Canadiens finished the regular season with 109 points and
were first in the Adams Division. Quebec finished with 82 points and in fourth
place in the Adams. That 27 point differential was wiped out in five short
games.
In the Norris Division Semi-finals, the fourth place Chicago
Blackhawks took out the first place Minnesota North Stars three games to one.
Minnesota finished the regular season twenty-two points ahead of the Blackhawks
with 94 to Chicago’s 72.
The other Norris Division Semi also ended with the underdog
on top. The third place St. Louis Blues beat out the second place Winnipeg Jets
in four games. This upset was not quite as dramatic as the Blues finished just
eight points behind the Jets in the regular season.
The Edmonton Oilers expected run to a Stanley Cup
championship ended prematurely against the Los Angeles Kings in the Smythe
Division Semi-finals. The Kings finished the season winning just 24 games while
losing 41 and tying 15 for just 63 points. The Oilers finished second overall
to only the New York Islanders with a total of 111 points. The Kings took the
series in five games. Their run would come to a halt in the next round,
however, when they bowed out to eventual Stanley Cup finalist, the Vancouver
Canucks.
The upsets continued in the following round. In the Adams
Division final, fourth place Quebec beat out the second place Boston Bruins in
seven games. In the Smythe Division, fourth place Chicago defeated third place
St. Louis in six.
The magic would end for the Quebec Nordiques in the conference
finals when they came up against the New York Islanders. The Islanders easily
swept the Nordiques in four games. It would also come to an end for the
Blackhawks as Chicago lost out to the Vancouver Canucks in five games.
Although Vancouver was always the top seed in each series
until the finals when they lost out to the Islanders in four games, their run
to the finals should be seen as an upset of sorts. Vancouver finished the
season with a weak record of 30 wins, 33 losses and 17 ties. The only reason
they ranked high is because they were in the weakest conference. They were
seeded second in the Smythe and fourth in the conference. Their point total
would have placed them eighth in the other conference.
The Oilers licked their wounds and came back strong the
following season. The Islanders won their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup in
1982-83, the last for the franchise, but the Oilers would make it to the finals
against New York this time. The following season, the Oilers won the Stanley
Cup and would win it again in three of next four seasons. One dynasty had
replaced another.
