Can Pittsburgh Summon the Ghosts of '84?

The last time the same teams met in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals: the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders in 1983 and 1984.

If you're a Pittsburgh fan, you might want to consider the (potential) parallels.

1983: Gretzky and Messier are 22 years old, leading the one of the most exciting teams the NHL has ever seen. But the older, battle-tested Islanders teach Edmonton a lesson in playoff hockey, sweeping the series in four games to maintain one of the league's great dynasties.

1984: One year older and wiser, Edmonton returns with a vengeance to crush the Islanders in five games. Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Anderson, and company blow 19 goals past Hall of Fame goalie Billy Smith. But this Oilers team also gets key contributions from ordinary grunts like Ken Linseman and Kevin McClelland.

The Islanders were never the same team after, while Edmonton would go on to win five Stanley Cups by 1990.

Series preview to come...

(Photo: Dave Sandford/Getty Images)