Easter Epic - The Series

The Series

The 1987 Patrick Division Semifinals pitted the third place New York Islanders against the second place Washington Capitals in a best of seven series. It was the fifth consecutive season these two teams matched up with each other; the Islanders had won three of the previous four, but looked to avenge their earliest exit ever from the playoffs at the hands of the Capitals the previous spring.

The first two games were played at the Capitals' home, Capital Centre. Washington won Game 1 4–3, and the Isles were victorious in Game 2 3–1, sending the series to Long Island tied at one game apiece.

At home, the Islanders dropped Games 3 (2–0) and 4 (4–1), to fall behind in the series 3–1. No NHL team had won a series coming back from this kind of deficit in 12 years; coincidentally, it was the Islanders who performed the feat, coming back from a 3–0 deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1975. In similar comeback fashion, just two years earlier, the Islanders also became the first team to win a best-of-5 series after trailing 2–0; that series was against the Capitals.

Armed with that history, the Islanders staved off elimination, winning 4–2 in Game 5. Their momentum continued, and the Islanders won Game 6 5–4 at home. This brought the Islanders and Capitals to a decisive Game 7, before a sold-out crowd on Washington's home ice.