[jg2977]

Long Island Islanders: 6th Conference Finals berth
1997 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003

"Hmph. You should’ve seen it. The Long Island Islanders… my lot… they weren’t about to let those fine, noble Canadiens have their way. No, no. We slit their throats in four games straight, and this last one—ha!—this last one was the feast."
"Montreal thought they had us… they were up, feeling all proud with their tidy little lead. But then we came for them in the sixth—Mike Bossy, that sly old fox, smacked a home run with two already on base. Took the smile right off their faces. And in the eighth? Bauer sends another one flying. Bossy joins him with his second of the day. Oh, they were gasping like trout on a riverbank."

"But the true slaughter? That came in the tenth. Extra innings, the crowd nervous. First, Lance Clark—whack!—sends one over the wall with a man on. They were still reeling from that when Jon Valenzuela strolls up and—ha!—sends another one into the stands. Back-to-back. Like a wedding toast followed by a dagger in the ribs."

"8–5, the final score. Sweep complete. Montreal’s blood on the floor, our boots already marching to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth time in our history. And Bossy? Named series MVP, of course. Two homers today, two in the series before… four runs scored, four batted in. If he were one of my sons, I’d have given him a keep."

"As for Montreal… well, let’s just say their errors matched their hits. And in the end, what does a fine reputation matter, eh? When the gates close, and you’re inside, and we’ve got the knives."