reckoning said:
The only guy who ever got pounded by Gillies and then challenged him again was Terry O`Reilly in the `80 playoffs. It`s a thin line between bravery and stupidity.
Anyone with memories of that series appreciates that line. That trio of fights in which Gillies simply dominated O'Reilly could be pointed to as
the moment at which NYI started their dynasty run. Up until the 1980 playoffs, NYI was regarded as a supremely talented team, but one that could be taken off their game by physical playoff hockey, as evidence by their eliminations the previous two seasons by Toronto and NYR, respectively.
The Bruins challenged NYI the second round that spring. Challenged them phyiscally, including a bench clearing brawl to end one period at the Boston Gardens, after rookie Duane Sutter ran, yes, Mike Milbury at the horn. (Karma). Gillies was a man in that series, the team followed his lead and they never looked back the rest of the playoffs.
The Schultz fight several years earlier not only effectively ended Schult'z career, it established Gillie's reputation. In their careers, neither Trottier nor Bossy ever dropped their gloves (literally). Neither were wimps (Trottier was as ill-humored as they come); they simply never had to.