NY Islanders First Stanley Cup: 45th Anniversary Special Interview

Captain Dennis Potvin, left wing John Tonelli, and defenseman Ken Morrow join Neil and Vic to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the New York Islanders' first Stanley Cup championship. From a 12-win expansion disaster to hockey immortality, these three Hall of Famers share firsthand accounts of the 1980 playoff run that launched a dynasty. Hear stories about the Butch Goring trade, the brutal Boston series with Clark Gillies vs. Terry O'Reilly, dominating Philadelphia's power play, and Bobby Nystrom's legendary overtime goal that changed franchise history forever.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00] - Bobby Nystrom's overtime goal against Philadelphia: the moment that launched the Islanders dynasty in 1980

[02:00] - Welcome to three champions: Captain Dennis Potvin, John Tonelli, and Ken Morrow sharing memories 45 years later

[04:00] - The Bowling Green connection: Ken Morrow's college days and the 1984 Falcons national championship vs. Western Michigan's 2025 title

[05:00] - Do the stories get better with time? Dennis admits some details fade, but the important moments against LA and Philly remain vivid

[06:00] - The 1980 team faced the NHL's best: why playing Philadelphia in the finals made the championship even more special

[07:00] - The practice that won the Cup: Al Arbor's crisscross drill that produced Nystrom's famous goal, practiced daily for weeks

[08:00] - John Tonelli's game-winner setup: the split-second decision to pass instead of shoot when Moose Dupont committed

[09:00] - Ken Morrow's Olympic gold to Stanley Cup: joining the Islanders after Lake Placid and practicing against Bossy, Trottier, and Tonelli

[10:00] - The welcome from veterans: team character from Bill Torrey and Al Arbor down through the entire locker room

[11:00] - Building the foundation: 1975's Cinderella run beating Rangers and Pittsburgh, then heartbreak against Montreal (76, 77) and Toronto (78)

[12:00] - The Butch Goring trade: filling the second-line center void after Brian Trottier, Goring's "Do you know how good you are?" speech

[13:00] - Brent Sutter at 20 as second-line center before Goring: the depth issue that needed solving at the deadline

[14:00] - Bill Torrey's masterpiece: Goring, Gordie Lane, Anders Kallur injecting speed, grit, and talent into the lineup

[15:00] - Dave Langevin's addition: 6'4", 240-pound defenseman completing the puzzle alongside Morrow and Potvin

[16:00] - Round 1 vs. LA Kings: Ken Morrow's overtime winner, a 48 mph shot along the ice that deflected off a skate

[18:00] - Morrow's three playoff overtime goals: scoring the occasional goal while playing shutdown defense

[19:00] - The Boston series: Clark Gillies vs. Terry O'Reilly defining moment, 16 fighting majors and 248 penalty minutes in game two

[20:00] - Dennis Potvin's respect for O'Reilly: knowing him from junior hockey, watching Clarky beat him repeatedl