Maven's Memories: A Division Championship in 1988

This was an act that simply could not be followed.
Not by the Islanders, nor any foe from 1984 on to eternity.
There was no way any team could match -- let alone surpass -- 19 consecutive series wins as coach Al Arbour's skaters did through four straight Stanley Cup victories plus a march to the 1984 Final.

"Every Islanders team that followed in that decade knew that we had built a championship team that never could be duplicated," said defenseman Denis Potvin. "But that didn't mean there were no other awards that could be had."
The Captain was right; and during the 1987-88 season a surprising group of upstart Nassaumen did, in fact, win a championship, if not The Cup.
"We had some surprises in that season," added Potvin, "and, on top of everything, I'd decided before opening night that it was time for my 'final tour.'"
Less prideful superstars might have hung on for another paycheck or two, but Denis did not want to play in one season too many. Veteran beat men who had covered the Dynastic Years were impressed with Potvin.
"Potvin's decision," wrote one reporter, "was graceful and perhaps even heroic."
After a team vote, Brent Sutter -- the pride of Viking, Alberta, was named the fourth captain in team history. Coach Terry Simpson, another Western Canadian, was pleased with the vote.
"Brent is one of the most respected players on our team," said Simpson. "and I'm sure he'll be a good liaison between management and the guys in the room."
So far, so good.
The not-so-pleasant relationship between the second-year coach and veteran goalie Bill Smith was repaired and returning stars provided a lineup with the The Three V's -- vim, vigor and vitality.
Smitty's crease comrade, Kelly Hrudey, gave Simpson a solid one-two punch between the pipes and Pat LaFontaine had achieved superstar status as a scorer. Augmenting Potvin on defense were promising Gerald Diduck and vet Tomas Jonsson.
"We opened with a good feeling about ourselves," Hrudey recalled.
MAVEN'S MEMORIES
WRITTEN COVERAGE
Catching Up With Darius Kasparaitis
My Mike Bossy Moments
Remembering Jean Potvin
The Unheralded Lorne Henning
Wayne Merrick Makes Mark on Cups
Don't Forget Tomas Jonsson
The Underrated Stefan Persson
Stan's Favorite Clark Gillies Memories
Maven's Haven
Proof positive was available on the ice. Simpson's stickhandlers completed their first 20 games with a commendable record of 14-5-1. It just happened to be the team's best since the 1978-79 campaign.
What's more, Simpson displayed the ability to get the most out of the talent at hand.
Exhibit A was his "Finnish Flash," Mikko Makela.
An Islanders rookie in 1985, the blond sharpshooter was well-liked by his teammates for Mikko's bright smile and good humor; not to mention his ability to smoothly mesh gears with future Hall of Fame center Bryan Trottier.
"Those two gave us a lift early in the season," LaFontaine remembered. "Mikko, especially, had developed a scoring touch."
That he did, finishing the season with a career-high 36 red lights while enhancing the 31-year-old Trottier who wound up the season with 82 points.
Not that the Expressway-To-First-Place was without potholes. During a desultory two-period effort by his team at Maple Leaf Gardens, the frustrated Simpson pulled aside his young trio of Diduck, Makela and Brad Lauer.
"Take off your jerseys," Simpson demanded, "and stay in this room until we're done."
The Nassaumen may have lost the game, 5-2, but Terry's message sunk in and three nights later the Isles taught the Rangers a lesson by a score of 8-2.
Even foot soldiers such as Alan Kerr got hot. The scrappy little forward enjoyed a career high 24 goals and 58 points along with 198 penalty minutes.
Aiming for a first-place finish in 1987-88, general manager Bill Torrey made two late-season moves of consequence. Following the 1988 Winter Olympics, Bow Tie Bil signed defenseman Jeff Norton who had starred for Team USA:
An effortless skater with an offensive touch, Norton had been the Isles' third round pick in the 1984 Entry Draft. He became an immediate asset.
For extra muscle, Torrey added free agent forward Mick Vukota. An instant fan favorite, Muscular Mick played 17 games and collected 82 PIM. "We were taking dead aim at the top," said Mick the Quick. "But the competition was tough."
So was Islanders luck. Very tough luck.
Torn knee ligaments ended Patrick Flatley's season in February. Flats, one of the team leaders and a solid two-way forward had been one of the Isles best players since joining the team late in the 1983-84 season.
That, in turn, led to what at first appeared to be a slump that would delete the Isles chances for first place in the Patrick Division. But the team got its second wind just in time. Starting on March 18th, the club went on a tear, culminating on March 31, which just happened to be my 56th birthday.
My birthday present was a 7-3 victory over Washington in what also was Denis Potvin's final regular season game at Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum. The other gift was a 39-31-10 Isles' record and the Patrick Division championship.
Hard-nosed forward Randy Wood wrapped up the happy ending with a verbal gift of his own: "We showed we could play with any team in the league!"