Here's what was said about the 1979-80 season by the Islanders, their opponents and observers. Select the person's name to see the quotes:

• Mary Flannery, New York Daily News reporter
• Bob Nystrom, Islander forward
• John Tonelli, Islander forward
• Bill Smith, Islander goalie
• Bill Torrey, Islander general manager
• Bryan Trottier, Islander forward
• Lorne Henning, Islander Forward
• Bob Bourne, Islander Forward
• Clark Gillies, Islander forward

Mary Flannery, New York Daily News reporter:

"When the Islanders were setting records as the worst team in the NHL, cynics said hell would freeze over before they won the Stanley Cup. Today, Lucifer is wearing ice skates."

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Bob Nystrom, Islander forward:

On the brawl-filled 1980 semifinal playoff series with the Boston Bruins: "Everything really came together in that Boston series. We really had to stand up for each other and play a physical style of game, and after that series we really showed that we could."

On the mood in the Islander locker room during the second intermission of game six of the 1980 finals, when they held a two-goal lead with 20 minutes to play: "We honestly thought we had won the game. Guys were congratulating each other, hugging... there was pandemonium in the locker room. What we forgot about was that there was another period."

On the mood after the Flyers forced overtime in game six: "I was a little upset. But I said, 'Hey, guys, we've always done it the hard way, and we're just going to have to do it the hard way again.'"

On his overtime goal that won the Cup: "I really didn't think it was going to go in. I never scored a goal on my backhand all year. I had to get it high and, sure enough, it went high."

Another take on the goal: "I really wasn't sure what I was going to do with the puck because it came soft enough where I could hold on to it and deke, but then I decided I'd just deflect it."

On winning it all: "It's the greatest feeling in the world. "It's everything it's supposed to be. It's everything you dream about."

"We went through a lot of tough times this year and we came through in the end. To win, that is what’s important. And I think we’ve come of age."

See Nystrom's quotes from 1980-81

See Nystrom's quotes from 1981-82

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John Tonelli, Islander forward:

On the feeling in the Islander locker room after the team blew a two-goal lead in game six of the 1980 finals: "We were all afraid of what could happen and afraid of the momentum shift of going back to Philly if we had lost that game."

On the pass to Bob Nystrom that turned into the Isles' first Stanley Cup-winning goal: "I can still see it so vividly. It was in slow motion. I can read the label on that puck, and that feeling like it's not happening and it just did. A fulfillment of a childhood dream."

See Tonelli's quotes from 1980-81

See Tonelli's quotes from 1982-83

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Bill Smith, Islander goalie:

On the Flyers' comeback effort in game six of the Stanley Cup finals: "They were freaky goals. Dailey's just went wide of the net, hit someone and went in. And on John Paddock's, they had three guys standing in the slot and the puck slid in between their feet. Did I panic? I was scared skinny."

See Smith's quotes from 1981-82

See Smith's quotes from 1982-83

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Bill Torrey, Islander general manager:

On the deals he made to build the 1979-80 championship team: "We came to an agreement that we couldn't catch the Flyers, and we also knew we didn't want to destroy the club by making panicky deals. So we decided to just get ready for the playoffs. (Defenseman Gord) Lane gave us fiber and (Ken) Morrow added character to our defense corps. When Goring came, he added maturity and flexibility. Altogether, they made the club go again."

See Torrey's quotes from 1981-82

See Torrey's quotes from 1982-83

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Bryan Trottier, Islander forward:

"The highest moment in my life as a hockey player was when Bobby Nystrom scored that goal."

On winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs: "The players who won this trophy are in the Hall of Fame, or will be. It's just so wonderful to see your name next to theirs."

See Trottier's quotes from 1980-81

See Trottier's quotes from 1981-82

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Lorne Henning, Islander forward:

"I look back and I think of the guys who helped along the way. I think of Dave Lewis and J. P. Parise and Jude Drouin and Andre St. Laurent. I think of so many."

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Bob Bourne, Islander forward:

After seeing the Stanley Cup on display as the Isles were struggling through the regular season: "I saw it but I didn’t go look at it. We were playing so brutal then. I thought it was out of reach."

After winning the cup just a few months later: "You can't know the feeling. For 25 years, I've seen guys walk out on the ice and hold that Stanley Cup over their heads and parade around. And now I'm one of them."

See Bourne's quotes from 1980-81

See Bourne's quotes from 1981-82

See Bourne's quotes from 1982-83

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Clark Gillies, Islander forward:

Explaining why he fed his dog, Hombre, from the Stanley Cup: "He's a nice dog."

See Gillies's quotes from 1982-83

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