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1981 NHL Playoff Summary
Regular Season Summary ▪ Playoff Summary ▪ Leaders ▪ Skater Statistics ▪ Goalie Statistics
Finals (4-1): New York Islanders over Minnesota North Stars
| Game 1 | May 12 | New York Islanders | 6 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | |
| Game 2 | May 14 | New York Islanders | 6 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | |
| Game 3 | May 17 | Minnesota North Stars | 5 | New York Islanders | 7 | |
| Game 4 | May 19 | Minnesota North Stars | 4 | New York Islanders | 2 | |
| Game 5 | May 21 | New York Islanders | 5 | Minnesota North Stars | 1 |
Semi-Finals (4-2): Minnesota North Stars over Calgary Flames
| Game 1 | April 28 | Calgary Flames | 1 | Minnesota North Stars | 4 | |
| Game 2 | April 30 | Calgary Flames | 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 2 | |
| Game 3 | May 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 6 | Calgary Flames | 4 | |
| Game 4 | May 5 | Minnesota North Stars | 7 | Calgary Flames | 4 | |
| Game 5 | May 7 | Calgary Flames | 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 1 | |
| Game 6 | May 9 | Minnesota North Stars | 5 | Calgary Flames | 3 |
Semi-Finals (4-0): New York Islanders over New York Rangers
| Game 1 | April 28 | New York Islanders | 5 | New York Rangers | 2 | |
| Game 2 | April 30 | New York Islanders | 7 | New York Rangers | 3 | |
| Game 3 | May 2 | New York Rangers | 1 | New York Islanders | 5 | |
| Game 4 | May 5 | New York Rangers | 2 | New York Islanders | 5 |
Quarter-Finals (4-3): Calgary Flames over Philadelphia Flyers
| Game 1 | April 16 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | Calgary Flames | 0 | |
| Game 2 | April 17 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | Calgary Flames | 5 | |
| Game 3 | April 19 | Calgary Flames | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 | |
| Game 4 | April 20 | Calgary Flames | 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | |
| Game 5 | April 22 | Philadelphia Flyers | 9 | Calgary Flames | 4 | |
| Game 6 | April 24 | Calgary Flames | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | |
| Game 7 | April 26 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 | Calgary Flames | 4 |
Quarter-Finals (4-1): Minnesota North Stars over Buffalo Sabres
| Game 1 | April 16 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 4 | (OT) |
| Game 2 | April 17 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | Minnesota North Stars | 5 | |
| Game 3 | April 19 | Minnesota North Stars | 6 | Buffalo Sabres | 4 | |
| Game 4 | April 20 | Minnesota North Stars | 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 5 | (OT) |
| Game 5 | April 22 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | Minnesota North Stars | 4 |
Quarter-Finals (4-2): New York Rangers over St. Louis Blues
| Game 1 | April 16 | St. Louis Blues | 6 | New York Rangers | 3 | |
| Game 2 | April 17 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | New York Rangers | 6 | |
| Game 3 | April 19 | New York Rangers | 6 | St. Louis Blues | 3 | |
| Game 4 | April 20 | New York Rangers | 4 | St. Louis Blues | 1 | |
| Game 5 | April 22 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | New York Rangers | 3 | |
| Game 6 | April 24 | New York Rangers | 7 | St. Louis Blues | 4 |
Quarter-Finals (4-2): New York Islanders over Edmonton Oilers
| Game 1 | April 16 | New York Islanders | 8 | Edmonton Oilers | 2 | |
| Game 2 | April 17 | New York Islanders | 6 | Edmonton Oilers | 3 | |
| Game 3 | April 19 | Edmonton Oilers | 5 | New York Islanders | 2 | |
| Game 4 | April 20 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | New York Islanders | 5 | (OT) |
| Game 5 | April 22 | New York Islanders | 3 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | |
| Game 6 | April 24 | Edmonton Oilers | 2 | New York Islanders | 5 |
Preliminary Round (3-0): Minnesota North Stars over Boston Bruins
| Game 1 | April 8 | Boston Bruins | 4 | Minnesota North Stars | 5 | (OT) |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Boston Bruins | 6 | Minnesota North Stars | 9 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Minnesota North Stars | 6 | Boston Bruins | 3 |
Preliminary Round (3-0): Calgary Flames over Chicago Black Hawks
| Game 1 | April 8 | Calgary Flames | 4 | Chicago Black Hawks | 3 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Calgary Flames | 6 | Chicago Black Hawks | 2 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Chicago Black Hawks | 4 | Calgary Flames | 5 | (OT) |
Preliminary Round (3-2): Philadelphia Flyers over Quebec Nordiques
| Game 1 | April 8 | Philadelphia Flyers | 6 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Philadelphia Flyers | 8 | Quebec Nordiques | 5 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Quebec Nordiques | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Quebec Nordiques | 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | (OT) |
| Game 5 | April 14 | Philadelphia Flyers | 5 | Quebec Nordiques | 2 |
Preliminary Round (3-0): Buffalo Sabres over Vancouver Canucks
| Game 1 | April 8 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | (OT) |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Buffalo Sabres | 5 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Vancouver Canucks | 3 | Buffalo Sabres | 5 |
Preliminary Round (3-1): New York Rangers over Los Angeles Kings
| Game 1 | April 8 | Los Angeles Kings | 1 | New York Rangers | 3 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Los Angeles Kings | 5 | New York Rangers | 4 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | New York Rangers | 10 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | |
| Game 4 | April 12 | New York Rangers | 6 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 |
Preliminary Round (3-0): Edmonton Oilers over Montreal Canadiens
| Game 1 | April 8 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | Edmonton Oilers | 6 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | Montreal Canadiens | 1 | Edmonton Oilers | 3 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Edmonton Oilers | 6 | Montreal Canadiens | 2 |
Preliminary Round (3-2): St. Louis Blues over Pittsburgh Penguins
| Game 1 | April 8 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 6 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | St. Louis Blues | 5 | |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 6 | St. Louis Blues | 3 | |
| Game 5 | April 14 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 | (OT) |
Preliminary Round (3-0): New York Islanders over Toronto Maple Leafs
| Game 1 | April 8 | New York Islanders | 9 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2 | |
| Game 2 | April 9 | New York Islanders | 5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 | |
| Game 3 | April 11 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1 | New York Islanders | 6 |