1986–87 New York Islanders season

The 1986–87 New York Islanders season was the 15th season for the franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Offseason

NHL draft Round Pick Player Nationality College/junior/club team 1 17 Tom Fitzgerald Austin Prep (Massachusetts) 2 38 Dennis Vaske Plymouth Armstrong H.S. (Minn.) 3 59 Bill Berg Toronto Marlboros (OHL)480Shawn ByramRegina Pats (WHL)5101Dean SexsmithBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL)5104Todd McLellanSaskatoon Blades (WHL)6122Tony SchmalzbauerHill-Murray School (USHS-MN)7138Will AndersenVictoria Cougars (WHL)7143Rich PilonPrince Albert Raiders (WHL)8164Peter HarrisHaverhill High School (MIAA)9185Jeff JablonskiLondon Diamonds (WOJBHL)10206Kerry ClarkSaskatoon Blades (WHL)11227Dan BeaudetteSaint Thomas Academy (USHS-MN)12248Paul ThompsonNorthern Manitoba AAA All-Stars (MAAAMHL)S220Gary KruzichBowling Green State University (CCHA)

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule and results

|1||L||October 9, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||0–1–0

|2||L||October 11, 1986||4–5 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||0–2–0

|3||W||October 16, 1986||7–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||1–2–0

|4||L||October 18, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||1–3–0

|5||T||October 19, 1986||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||1–3–1

|6||W||October 21, 1986||6–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||2–3–1

|7||W||October 25, 1986||4–3 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||3–3–1

|8||W||October 28, 1986||2–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||4–3–1

|9||L||October 30, 1986||6–7 OT|| align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||4–4–1

|10||W||November 1, 1986||7–4 || align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||5–4–1

|11||W||November 4, 1986||7–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||6–4–1

|12||L||November 5, 1986||2–3 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||6–5–1

|13||W||November 8, 1986||2–1 OT|| align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||7–5–1

|14||W||November 9, 1986||4–3 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||8–5–1

|15||L||November 11, 1986||2–3 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||8–6–1

|16||W||November 15, 1986||7–3 || align="left"| @ Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||9–6–1

|17||L||November 16, 1986||1–3 || align="left"| @ Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||9–7–1

|18||W||November 18, 1986||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||10–7–1

|19||W||November 20, 1986||6–4 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||11–7–1

|20||L||November 22, 1986||3–6 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||11–8–1

|21||W||November 25, 1986||5–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||12–8–1

|22||W||November 26, 1986||3–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||13–8–1

|23||L||November 29, 1986||5–6 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||13–9–1

|24||T||December 2, 1986||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||13–9–2

|25||L||December 3, 1986||1–7 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||13–10–2

|26||W||December 5, 1986||4–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||14–10–2

|27||L||December 7, 1986||1–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||14–11–2

|28||L||December 9, 1986||2–7 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1986–87) ||14–12–2

|29||W||December 11, 1986||8–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||15–12–2

|30||W||December 13, 1986||4–2 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||16–12–2

|31||W||December 16, 1986||4–2 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||17–12–2

|32||L||December 18, 1986||4–9 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||17–13–2

|33||W||December 20, 1986||5–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||18–13–2

|34||W||December 23, 1986||4–3 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||19–13–2

|35||L||December 26, 1986||1–2 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||19–14–2

|36||T||December 27, 1986||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||19–14–3

|37||L||December 30, 1986||3–5 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||19–15–3

|38||L||December 31, 1986||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||19–16–3

|39||L||January 3, 1987||4–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||19–17–3

|40||W||January 6, 1987||5–3 || align="left"| Minnesota North Stars (1986–87) ||20–17–3

|41||W||January 9, 1987||2–1 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||21–17–3

|42||W||January 10, 1987||3–2 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||22–17–3

|43||T||January 13, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||22–17–4

|44||L||January 15, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||22–18–4

|45||L||January 17, 1987||2–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||22–19–4

|46||W||January 18, 1987||3–1 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||23–19–4

|47||L||January 20, 1987||1–3 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||23–20–4

|48||L||January 21, 1987||5–8 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||23–21–4

|49||W||January 24, 1987||2–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||24–21–4

|50||T||January 27, 1987||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Winnipeg Jets (1986–87) ||24–21–5

|51||T||January 30, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||24–21–6

|52||W||January 31, 1987||4–2 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1986–87) ||25–21–6

|53||L||February 4, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||25–22–6

|54||T||February 6, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1986–87) ||25–22–7

|55||L||February 7, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1986–87) ||25–23–7

|56||L||February 14, 1987||1–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||25–24–7

|57||L||February 17, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||25–25–7

|58||T||February 18, 1987||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||25–25–8

|59||W||February 21, 1987||6–5 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||26–25–8

|60||W||February 22, 1987||7–0 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||27–25–8

|61||L||February 24, 1987||2–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||27–26–8

|62||W||February 26, 1987||5–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||28–26–8

|63||T||February 28, 1987||3–3 OT|| align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||28–26–9

|64||T||March 3, 1987||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1986–87) ||28–26–10

|65||L||March 4, 1987||5–7 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1986–87) ||28–27–10

|66||L||March 7, 1987||2–7 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1986–87) ||28–28–10

|67||W||March 8, 1987||6–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1986–87) ||29–28–10

|68||W||March 10, 1987||6–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1986–87) ||30–28–10

|69||L||March 13, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||30–29–10

|70||W||March 14, 1987||7–6 OT|| align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1986–87) ||31–29–10

|71||L||March 16, 1987||0–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1986–87) ||31–30–10

|72||W||March 19, 1987||3–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1986–87) ||32–30–10

|73||W||March 21, 1987||4–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1986–87) ||33–30–10

|74||L||March 24, 1987||1–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||33–31–10

|75||L||March 26, 1987||2–5 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1986–87) ||33–32–10

|76||T||March 27, 1987||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1986–87) ||33–32–11

|77||W||March 31, 1987||4–3 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1986–87) ||34–32–11

|78||L||April 2, 1987||1–4 || align="left"| Quebec Nordiques (1986–87) ||34–33–11

|79||T||April 4, 1987||6–6 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1986–87) ||34–33–12

|80||W||April 5, 1987||9–5 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1986–87) ||35–33–12

Legend:

Playoffs

Round 1: New York Islanders (3) vs. Washington Capitals (2)

The Easter Epic is the nickname given to a National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoff game between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, played April 18–19, 1987, at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. It is so named because the game started on Saturday evening but did not finish until the early hours of Easter Sunday where Pat Lafontaine scored the overtime series winning goal.

Round 2: New York Islanders (3) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (1)

Player statistics Regular season Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG C 80 23 64 87 5031301 RW 63 38 37 75 33-7815 C 80 38 32 70 70-101916 C 69 27 36 63 7323638 RW 80 24 33 57 2431103 RW 63 16 35 51 8117604 D 58 12 30 42 70-6801 RW 80 14 17 31 1691101 D 47 6 25 31 36-8110 LW 70 12 17 29 202000 D 74 9 20 29 302400 D 30 7 17 24 370310 LW 61 7 14 21 650101 D 72 5 16 21 70-4300 C 77 7 10 17 89-17001 RW 72 7 10 17 175-10011 D 71 4 10 14 110-8000 LW 51 6 7 13 26-12000 D 64 3 8 11 327000 LW 41 6 4 10 178003 D 68 0 10 10 3563000 LW 19 3 3 6 462000 D 30 2 3 5 67-3000 RW 9 2 1 3 7-2000 G 40 0 2 2 370000 LW/C 6 1 0 1 4-1000 RW 2 0 1 1 0-1000 G 46 0 1 1 370000 LW 2 0 0 0 00000Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LTGAGAA SOSASVSV% 2634 46 21 15 7 145 3.30 012191074.881 2252 40 14 18 5 132 3.52 11007875.869 Team: 4886 80 35 33 12 277 3.40 122261949.876 Playoffs Scoring Player Pos GP G A Pts PIM +/- PPG SHG GWG C 14 8 5 13 12-6302 C 14 5 7 12 10-6102 RW 11 2 4 6 8-4101 RW 11 3 2 5 6-2000 RW 6 2 3 5 0-2200 D 10 1 4 5 62100 RW 14 1 4 5 25-1000 D 14 1 4 5 104000 D 11 0 5 5 6-2000 LW 10 2 2 4 63001 D 10 2 2 4 21-7100 LW 14 1 3 4 40000 D 13 1 3 4 2-6000 LW/C 13 1 3 4 140001 D 7 0 4 4 44000 C 14 1 2 3 212000 LW 6 2 0 2 41000 C 5 1 0 1 4-4100 RW 14 1 0 1 26-3000 D 4 0 1 1 6-2000 RW 1 0 1 1 00000 D 14 0 1 1 35-7000 D 8 0 0 0 51-4000 LW 6 0 0 0 10-1000 LW 8 0 0 0 2-5000 G 14 0 0 0 00000 G 2 0 0 0 00000 Goaltending PlayerMINGPW LGAGAA SOSASVSV% 842 14 7 7 38 2.71 0464426.918 67 2 0 0 1 0.90 02221.955 Team: 909 14 7 7 39 2.57 0486447.920

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals       MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

References