Clark Gillies knows a thing our two about playoff hockey on Long Island.
The Hall of Famer won four straight Stanley Cups as part of the Islanders dynasty in the early 1980s and is as excited as anyone to see his former team back in the playoffs — which begin Wednesday night in Pittsburgh — after a six-year absence.
“If they just squeaked into the playoffs [it would be different]. But they came into the playoffs on a bit of a high note,” Gillies said at Madison Square Park on Tuesday, where the Stanley Cup was present, as were other former players and families who lost their homes during the fires in Breezy Point during Hurricane Sandy.
The event drew lots of fans, who came out for free Stanley Cupcakes and pictures with the Cup.
“Pittsburgh is a tough hockey team,” Gillies said. “There is no question about that. [The Islanders] are going to have to have a lot of things go right to beat Pittsburgh, but they couldn’t be facing a team like Pittsburgh at a better time because they really have played well in the last six weeks.”
The Islanders used an 11-2-4 stretch over the final month of the season to clinch their first playoff berth since 2007. A lot of the credit goes to John Tavares, who finished third in the NHL with 28 goals and is a strong candidate for league MVP.
“Certainly Tavares has been the biggest highlight of the Islanders year and they would not be where they are without him,” Gillies said. “There are some great players out there, [Sidney] Crosby obviously has to be thought of [for MVP], [Jonathan] Toews in Chicago.
But drawing the Penguins wasn’t exactly a welcome sight. After beating Pittsburgh in their first matchup, the Islanders lost the final four to them this regular season. The Penguins used a 15-game winning streak midseason to solidify the top spot in the Eastern Conference, despite playing without Crosby for the past month. He broke his jaw against the Islanders on March 30, but could return Wednesday for Game 1.
Though Gillies said he would love to see his former team win a playoff round for the first time since 1993, he will be rooting for the Penguins to win the Cup, if they beat his beloved Islanders in the first round.
“When you get past the Islanders, my favorite team to watch for obvious reasons is the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Gillies said. “They are a very entertaining team. They are a good bunch of kids and talented, so I am probably pulling for Pittsburgh after this.”
Gillies finished his career with 319 goals and 697 points in 958 career games, and had more than a few memorable playoff moments he recalled.
“When [Bobby] Nystrom scored the goal to win the first Cup [in 1980], that was special,” Gillies said. “There were a lot of great moments along the way.
“When we won the fourth Cup and were able to beat Edmonton in four straight, that was a big shock to a lot of people. Just to be out there and be a part of that team was very special.”