# 1980–81 Major Indoor Soccer League season

The 1980–81 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the third in league history and would end with the New York Arrows repeating once again as MISL champions.

## Recap

There were plenty of changes as the league began its third year. The Houston Summit would move to Baltimore and the Detroit Lightning moved to San Francisco. Three new clubs were added – the Chicago Horizons, the Denver Avalanche and the Phoenix Inferno.
With 12 teams, the league moved to three divisions. To accommodate the three-division setup, the playoff format was tweaked once again. The top two teams in each division would qualify, along with the next best two teams for eight qualifiers in total. While the first round was a best of three series, Commissioner Earl Foreman announced in early November 1980 that there would be single-game semifinals and a final set to be played in St. Louis on the weekend of March 27, 1981.
As it turned out, St. Louis pulled off a worst-to-first turnaround in their division with the second-best record in the MISL and made the championship game. In their semifinal against Wichita, the Steamers rallied from a 6-1 third quarter deficit to tie the game and win in a shootout. Over 33,000 fans attended both nights at the St. Louis Arena.
New York's Steve Zungul won regular season MVP honors for the third time, and added the playoff MVP. Zungul scored four goals and an assist in both the semifinal win over Baltimore and the championship game. Zungul scored the game-winning goal with less than 30 seconds left against St. Louis, the last of his combined 123 goals (108 regular season and 15 playoff goals, respectively). The 108 goals would remain an MISL record through the end of the league in 1992.
After the season, Chicago folded. The league wanted to return to the market, but Chicago Sting owner Lee Stern paid to keep the Chicago market for himself and the Sting.

## Teams

| Team | City/Area | Arena |
| Baltimore Blast | Baltimore, Maryland | Baltimore Arena |
| Buffalo Stallions | Buffalo, New York | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium |
| Chicago Horizons | Rosemont, Illinois | Rosemont Horizon |
| Cleveland Force | Cleveland, Ohio | Richfield Coliseum |
| Denver Avalanche | Denver, Colorado | McNichols Sports Arena |
| Hartford Hellions | Hartford, Connecticut | New Haven Coliseum Hartford Civic Center |
| New York Arrows | Uniondale, New York | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| Philadelphia Fever | Philadelphia | The Spectrum |
| Phoenix Inferno | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| San Francisco Fog | Daly City, California | Cow Palace |
| St. Louis Steamers | St. Louis, Missouri | St. Louis Arena |
| Wichita Wings | Wichita, Kansas | Kansas Coliseum |

## Regular Season Schedule

The 1980–81 regular season schedule ran from November 7, 1980, to March 8, 1981. The 40 games per team was an increase of eight over the 1979–80 schedule of 32 games.
| Day of Week | Date | Away Team | Away Score | Home Team | Home Score | OT |
| Friday | 11/7/1980 | Cleveland Force | 6 | Buffalo Stallions | 10 | |
| Saturday | 11/8/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | Philadelphia Fever | 8 | |
| Saturday | 11/8/1980 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | |
| Sunday | 11/9/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 8 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | |
| Friday | 11/14/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 10 | |
| Friday | 11/14/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | |
| Saturday | 11/15/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | Cleveland Force | 7 | |
| Sunday | 11/16/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 6 | Hartford Hellions | 7 | OT |
| Sunday | 11/16/1980 | Wichita Wings | 2 | New York Arrows | 7 | |
| Tuesday | 11/18/1980 | New York Arrows | 10 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | |
| Wednesday | 11/19/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 5 | |
| Wednesday | 11/19/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Thursday | 11/20/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | |
| Friday | 11/21/1980 | New York Arrows | 8 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | OT |
| Friday | 11/21/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | OT |
| Saturday | 11/22/1980 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | Wichita Wings | 5 | |
| Saturday | 11/22/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Saturday | 11/22/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | |
| Sunday | 11/23/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 1 | New York Arrows | 2 | |
| Wednesday | 11/26/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | New York Arrows | 3 | |
| Wednesday | 11/26/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 1 | Chicago Horizons | 9 | |
| Friday | 11/28/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | Philadelphia Fever | 2 | |
| Friday | 11/28/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | Buffalo Stallions | 11 | |
| Friday | 11/28/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | |
| Friday | 11/28/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | Wichita Wings | 10 | |
| Saturday | 11/29/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | Baltimore Blast | 10 | |
| Saturday | 11/29/1980 | New York Arrows | 6 | Cleveland Force | 4 | |
| Saturday | 11/29/1980 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | |
| Sunday | 11/30/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Sunday | 11/30/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 10 | |
| Sunday | 11/30/1980 | Cleveland Force | 7 | St. Louis Steamers | 8 | |
| Monday | 12/1/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | |
| Tuesday | 12/2/1980 | New York Arrows | 4 | Wichita Wings | 5 | |
| Wednesday | 12/3/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | OT |
| Wednesday | 12/3/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 2 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | |
| Wednesday | 12/3/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | OT |
| Wednesday | 12/3/1980 | Cleveland Force | 6 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | |
| Wednesday | 12/3/1980 | New York Arrows | 10 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | |
| Thursday | 12/4/1980 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | |
| Friday | 12/5/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | Wichita Wings | 4 | |
| Friday | 12/5/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | |
| Friday | 12/5/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | |
| Saturday | 12/6/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 5 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | |
| Saturday | 12/6/1980 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | |
| Saturday | 12/6/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 3 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | |
| Saturday | 12/6/1980 | New York Arrows | 9 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | |
| Sunday | 12/7/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 2 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Sunday | 12/7/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 2 | |
| Sunday | 12/7/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Tuesday | 12/9/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | OT |
| Wednesday | 12/10/1980 | Wichita Wings | 7 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 12/10/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | Phoenix Inferno | 11 | |
| Thursday | 12/11/1980 | New York Arrows | 5 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Thursday | 12/11/1980 | Cleveland Force | 6 | Wichita Wings | 5 | OT |
| Friday | 12/12/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Friday | 12/12/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | Buffalo Stallions | 13 | |
| Friday | 12/12/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | |
| Saturday | 12/13/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | |
| Saturday | 12/13/1980 | Wichita Wings | 6 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | |
| Saturday | 12/13/1980 | New York Arrows | 8 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Sunday | 12/14/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 6 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | OT |
| Sunday | 12/14/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | Cleveland Force | 5 | OT |
| Sunday | 12/14/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | |
| Sunday | 12/14/1980 | New York Arrows | 9 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 | |
| Tuesday | 12/16/1980 | Wichita Wings | 0 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | |
| Wednesday | 12/17/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 5 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | OT |
| Wednesday | 12/17/1980 | Buffalo Stallions | 1 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | |
| Wednesday | 12/17/1980 | New York Arrows | 11 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | |
| Thursday | 12/18/1980 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 8 | |
| Friday | 12/19/1980 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 9 | |
| Friday | 12/19/1980 | New York Arrows | 5 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Friday | 12/19/1980 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | Cleveland Force | 9 | |
| Friday | 12/19/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Saturday | 12/20/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | |
| Saturday | 12/20/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 11 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | |
| Sunday | 12/21/1980 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Sunday | 12/21/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 7 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | |
| Sunday | 12/21/1980 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | New York Arrows | 6 | |
| Sunday | 12/21/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 | |
| Monday | 12/22/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Tuesday | 12/23/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Tuesday | 12/23/1980 | Cleveland Force | 4 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | |
| Friday | 12/26/1980 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | OT |
| Friday | 12/26/1980 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Friday | 12/26/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | |
| Saturday | 12/27/1980 | New York Arrows | 6 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | OT |
| Saturday | 12/27/1980 | Cleveland Force | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | |
| Sunday | 12/28/1980 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Cleveland Force | 10 | |
| Sunday | 12/28/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 0 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Sunday | 12/28/1980 | Chicago Horizons | 3 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Sunday | 12/28/1980 | Hartford Hellions | 8 | Phoenix Inferno | 13 | |
| Monday | 12/29/1980 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | St. Louis Steamers | 8 | |
| Tuesday | 12/30/1980 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 9 | |
| Friday | 1/2/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 6 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 | |
| Friday | 1/2/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | Buffalo Stallions | 10 | |
| Friday | 1/2/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | New York Arrows | 8 | |
| Friday | 1/2/1981 | Cleveland Force | 0 | Wichita Wings | 10 | |
| Friday | 1/2/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | Phoenix Inferno | 2 | |
| Saturday | 1/3/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 2 | Hartford Hellions | 5 | |
| Saturday | 1/3/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 9 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | |
| Sunday | 1/4/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | New York Arrows | 4 | |
| Sunday | 1/4/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 3 | Cleveland Force | 4 | |
| Sunday | 1/4/1981 | Wichita Wings | 2 | St. Louis Steamers | 11 | |
| Tuesday | 1/6/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 10 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | |
| Tuesday | 1/6/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 2 | |
| Thursday | 1/8/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | Denver Avalanche | 7 | |
| Friday | 1/9/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 1 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | |
| Friday | 1/9/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Friday | 1/9/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 1 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Friday | 1/9/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Wichita Wings | 10 | |
| Saturday | 1/10/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 11 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | |
| Saturday | 1/10/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 | |
| Saturday | 1/10/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 2 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Sunday | 1/11/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Sunday | 1/11/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | New York Arrows | 5 | |
| Monday | 1/12/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 2 | Wichita Wings | 6 | |
| Tuesday | 1/13/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | OT |
| Wednesday | 1/14/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 6 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | |
| Wednesday | 1/14/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | |
| Wednesday | 1/14/1981 | New York Arrows | 4 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | |
| Thursday | 1/15/1981 | Wichita Wings | 3 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | |
| Friday | 1/16/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 6 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Friday | 1/16/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | OT |
| Friday | 1/16/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 2 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | |
| Friday | 1/16/1981 | Cleveland Force | 7 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Saturday | 1/17/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 2 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | |
| Sunday | 1/18/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Sunday | 1/18/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | Buffalo Stallions | 8 | |
| Sunday | 1/18/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | New York Arrows | 12 | |
| Sunday | 1/18/1981 | Wichita Wings | 5 | St. Louis Steamers | 8 | |
| Tuesday | 1/20/1981 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Philadelphia Fever | 9 | |
| Tuesday | 1/20/1981 | Wichita Wings | 6 | Denver Avalanche | 7 | |
| Wednesday | 1/21/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 3 | Cleveland Force | 1 | |
| Wednesday | 1/21/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 1 | Wichita Wings | 2 | |
| Thursday | 1/22/1981 | New York Arrows | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Thursday | 1/22/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | Hartford Hellions | 7 | |
| Friday | 1/23/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 8 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Friday | 1/23/1981 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Buffalo Stallions | 3 | |
| Friday | 1/23/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | |
| Friday | 1/23/1981 | Wichita Wings | 5 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | |
| Saturday | 1/24/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | Philadelphia Fever | 0 | |
| Saturday | 1/24/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 7 | |
| Saturday | 1/24/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | Cleveland Force | 5 | OT |
| Saturday | 1/24/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 | Phoenix Inferno | 9 | |
| Monday | 1/26/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 6 | Denver Avalanche | 7 | SO |
| Tuesday | 1/27/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Tuesday | 1/27/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | OT |
| Tuesday | 1/27/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 1/28/1981 | Wichita Wings | 5 | Cleveland Force | 6 | OT |
| Thursday | 1/29/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | |
| Thursday | 1/29/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 7 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | |
| Friday | 1/30/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 8 | Buffalo Stallions | 12 | |
| Friday | 1/30/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 8 | New York Arrows | 9 | OT |
| Friday | 1/30/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 7 | Cleveland Force | 4 | |
| Friday | 1/30/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 8 | Wichita Wings | 6 | |
| Saturday | 1/31/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | |
| Saturday | 1/31/1981 | Cleveland Force | 1 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | |
| Saturday | 1/31/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 5 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | |
| Sunday | 2/1/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 5 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | SO |
| Sunday | 2/1/1981 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | |
| Sunday | 2/1/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 1 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Sunday | 2/1/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | New York Arrows | 3 | OT |
| Monday | 2/2/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | Denver Avalanche | 11 | |
| Tuesday | 2/3/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | |
| Tuesday | 2/3/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 1 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Thursday | 2/5/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 1 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | |
| Thursday | 2/5/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Thursday | 2/5/1981 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Denver Avalanche | 5 | |
| Thursday | 2/5/1981 | Cleveland Force | 8 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | |
| Friday | 2/6/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | New York Arrows | 11 | |
| Friday | 2/6/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 10 | |
| Friday | 2/6/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Saturday | 2/7/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 8 | |
| Saturday | 2/7/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 2 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | |
| Sunday | 2/8/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | |
| Sunday | 2/8/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | New York Arrows | 9 | |
| Sunday | 2/8/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | Cleveland Force | 4 | OT |
| Monday | 2/9/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | |
| Wednesday | 2/11/1981 | West All-Stars | 8 | East All-Stars | 5 | |
| Thursday | 2/12/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Thursday | 2/12/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | OT |
| Friday | 2/13/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | Cleveland Force | 3 | |
| Friday | 2/13/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 4 | New York Arrows | 2 | |
| Friday | 2/13/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | |
| Friday | 2/13/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | |
| Saturday | 2/14/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 1 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | |
| Saturday | 2/14/1981 | Wichita Wings | 4 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | OT |
| Sunday | 2/15/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 2 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Sunday | 2/15/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 1 | New York Arrows | 6 | |
| Sunday | 2/15/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | |
| Monday | 2/16/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | Philadelphia Fever | 5 | |
| Tuesday | 2/17/1981 | New York Arrows | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Tuesday | 2/17/1981 | Cleveland Force | 3 | Chicago Horizons | 5 | |
| Wednesday | 2/18/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 14 | Phoenix Inferno | 4 | |
| Wednesday | 2/18/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 | Cleveland Force | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 2/18/1981 | Wichita Wings | 5 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Wednesday | 2/18/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | |
| Thursday | 2/19/1981 | New York Arrows | 7 | Philadelphia Fever | 4 | |
| Thursday | 2/19/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Friday | 2/20/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 2 | Cleveland Force | 4 | |
| Friday | 2/20/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 3 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | |
| Friday | 2/20/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Saturday | 2/21/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | Hartford Hellions | 3 | |
| Saturday | 2/21/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 6 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | |
| Saturday | 2/21/1981 | San Francisco Fog | 4 | Phoenix Inferno | 10 | |
| Sunday | 2/22/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | |
| Sunday | 2/22/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 3 | Cleveland Force | 13 | |
| Sunday | 2/22/1981 | Wichita Wings | 7 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Sunday | 2/22/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 5 | Philadelphia Fever | 7 | |
| Tuesday | 2/24/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 2 | Hartford Hellions | 5 | |
| Tuesday | 2/24/1981 | New York Arrows | 6 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Tuesday | 2/24/1981 | Wichita Wings | 5 | San Francisco Fog | 6 | OT |
| Wednesday | 2/25/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | Chicago Horizons | 3 | |
| Thursday | 2/26/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 2 | Baltimore Blast | 3 | |
| Thursday | 2/26/1981 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Friday | 2/27/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 12 | San Francisco Fog | 11 | |
| Friday | 2/27/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | |
| Friday | 2/27/1981 | Cleveland Force | 3 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | |
| Friday | 2/27/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Sunday | 3/1/1981 | New York Arrows | 9 | Philadelphia Fever | 5 | |
| Sunday | 3/1/1981 | Cleveland Force | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 7 | |
| Sunday | 3/1/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | St. Louis Steamers | 3 | |
| Sunday | 3/1/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | San Francisco Fog | 2 | |
| Monday | 3/2/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 3 | Denver Avalanche | 4 | |
| Tuesday | 3/3/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 7 | Philadelphia Fever | 6 | |
| Tuesday | 3/3/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 2 | Wichita Wings | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 3/4/1981 | Wichita Wings | 7 | San Francisco Fog | 3 | |
| Thursday | 3/5/1981 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | Baltimore Blast | 4 | |
| Thursday | 3/5/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 6 | Phoenix Inferno | 7 | OT |
| Thursday | 3/5/1981 | New York Arrows | 11 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | |
| Friday | 3/6/1981 | Cleveland Force | 4 | St. Louis Steamers | 10 | |
| Friday | 3/6/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 9 | San Francisco Fog | 7 | |
| Saturday | 3/7/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 10 | Philadelphia Fever | 3 | |
| Saturday | 3/7/1981 | New York Arrows | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 8 | |
| Saturday | 3/7/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 2 | Wichita Wings | 6 | |
| Saturday | 3/7/1981 | Denver Avalanche | 10 | Phoenix Inferno | 7 | |
| Sunday | 3/8/1981 | Cleveland Force | 7 | Philadelphia Fever | 11 | |
| Sunday | 3/8/1981 | Hartford Hellions | 4 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | |
| Sunday | 3/8/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 7 | New York Arrows | 8 | OT |
| Sunday | 3/8/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 9 | San Francisco Fog | 11 | |
| Sunday | 3/8/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 5 | |
| Thursday | 3/12/1981 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | OT |
| Thursday | 3/12/1981 | Wichita Wings | 3 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | |
| Friday | 3/13/1981 | Buffalo Stallions | 4 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | |
| Saturday | 3/14/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 1 | Cleveland Force | 7 | |
| Sunday | 3/15/1981 | Cleveland Force | 5 | Baltimore Blast | 6 | |
| Wednesday | 3/18/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 4 | Wichita Wings | 6 | |
| Thursday | 3/19/1981 | New York Arrows | 6 | Phoenix Inferno | 10 | |
| Saturday | 3/21/1981 | St. Louis Steamers | 6 | Buffalo Stallions | 5 | |
| Saturday | 3/21/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 6 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Monday | 3/23/1981 | Chicago Horizons | 6 | Wichita Wings | 8 | |
| Tuesday | 3/24/1981 | Phoenix Inferno | 5 | New York Arrows | 6 | |
| Friday | 3/27/1981 | Baltimore Blast | 1 | New York Arrows | 10 | |
| Friday | 3/27/1981 | Wichita Wings | 7 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 | SO (3-1 STL) |
| Sunday | 3/29/1981 | New York Arrows | 6 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 | |

## Final standings

Playoff teams in bold.
| Atlantic Division | W | L | Pct. | GB | GF | GA | Home | Road |
| New York Arrows | 35 | 5 | .875 | -- | 285 | 176 | 17-3 | 18-2 |
| Baltimore Blast | 21 | 19 | .525 | 14 | 182 | 190 | 13-7 | 8-12 |
| Philadelphia Fever | 18 | 22 | .450 | 17 | 212 | 245 | 10-10 | 8-12 |
| Hartford Hellions | 13 | 27 | .188 | 22 | 165 | 192 | 10-10 | 3-17 |
| Central Division | W | L | Pct. | GB | GF | GA | Home | Road |
| St. Louis Steamers | 25 | 15 | .625 | -- | 222 | 196 | 15-5 | 10-10 |
| Cleveland Force | 21 | 19 | .525 | 4 | 209 | 214 | 14-6 | 7-13 |
| Chicago Horizons | 20 | 20 | .500 | 5 | 216 | 187 | 13-7 | 7-13 |
| Buffalo Stallions | 20 | 20 | .500 | 5 | 246 | 210 | 15-5 | 5-15 |
| Western Division | W | L | Pct. | GB | GF | GA | Home | Road |
| Wichita Wings | 23 | 17 | .575 | -- | 228 | 181 | 18-2 | 5-15 |
| Phoenix Inferno | 17 | 23 | .425 | 6 | 210 | 254 | 12-8 | 5-15 |
| Denver Avalanche | 16 | 24 | .400 | 7 | 174 | 217 | 12-8 | 4-16 |
| San Francisco Fog | 11 | 29 | .275 | 12 | 175 | 271 | 7-13 | 4-16 |

## Playoffs

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Championship Game | Championship Game | Championship Game |
| 1 | New York Arrows | 2 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Phoenix Inferno | 1 | | | | | | |
| 8 | Phoenix Inferno | 1 | 1 | New York Arrows | 10 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 1 | | | |
| 4 | Baltimore Blast | 2 | 4 | Baltimore Blast | 1 | | | |
| 5 | Cleveland Force | 1 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cleveland Force | 1 | | | | 1 | New York Arrows | 6 |
| | | | | | | 2 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 |
| 2 | St. Louis Steamers | 2 | | | | | | | 2 | St. Louis Steamers | 5 |
| 7 | Buffalo Stallions | 0 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Buffalo Stallions | 0 | 2 | St. Louis Steamers | 7 (3) | | | |
| | | | 3 | Wichita Wings | 7 (1) | | | |
| 3 | Wichita Wings | 2 | 3 | Wichita Wings | 7 (1) | | | |
| 6 | Chicago Horizons | 1 | | | | | | |

### Quarterfinals

New York vs. Phoenix :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 19 | New York 6 | Phoenix 10 | 8,719 |
| March 21 | Phoenix 6 | New York 10 | 12,488 |
| March 24 | Phoenix 5 | New York 6 | 6,315 |
| New York wins series 2-1 ||||
Baltimore vs. Cleveland :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 12 | Cleveland 5 | Baltimore 6 | 7,461 |
| | Dan Counce scored at 14:06 of overtime | Dan Counce scored at 14:06 of overtime | Dan Counce scored at 14:06 of overtime |
| March 14 | Baltimore 1 | Cleveland 7 | 10,639 |
| March 15 | Cleveland 5 | Baltimore 6 | 7,692 |
| Baltimore wins series 2-1 ||||
St. Louis vs. Buffalo :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 13 | Buffalo 4 | St. Louis 6 | 11,667 |
| March 21 | St. Louis 6 | Buffalo 5 | 16,329 |
| St. Louis wins series 2-0 ||||
Wichita vs. Chicago :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 12 | Wichita 3 | Chicago 4 | 4,313 |
| March 18 | Chicago 4 | Wichita 6 | 7,309 |
| March 23 | Chicago 6 | Wichita 8 | 7,753 |
| Wichita wins series 2-1 ||||

### Semifinals

New York vs. Baltimore :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 27 | Baltimore 1 | New York 10 | 16,236 |
St. Louis vs. Wichita :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 27 | Wichita 7 | St. Louis 7 | 16,236 |
| St. Louis wins shootout 3-1 ||||

### Championship Game

St. Louis vs. New York :
| Date | Away | Home | Attendance |
| March 29 | New York 6 | St. Louis 5 | 17,206 |

## Regular Season Player Statistics
### Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Steve Zungul | New York Arrows | 40 | 108 | 44 | 152 |
| Branko Segota | New York Arrows | 35 | 38 | 45 | 83 |
| Charlie Cordas | Buffalo Stallions | 36 | 40 | 41 | 81 |
| Vic Davidson | Phoenix Inferno | 30 | 50 | 29 | 79 |
| Iubo Petrovic | Buffalo Stallions | 39 | 44 | 33 | 77 |
| Joe Fink | Philadelphia Fever | 39 | 51 | 18 | 69 |
| Fred Grgurev | Philadelphia Fever | 37 | 44 | 25 | 69 |
| Jorgen Kristensen | Wichita Wings | 38 | 14 | 52 | 66 |
| Don Ebert | St. Louis Steamers | 40 | 46 | 19 | 65 |
| Dave MacWilliams | Philadelphia Fever | 37 | 37 | 28 | 65 |

### Leading Goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses
| Player | Team | GP | Min | GA | GAA | W | L |
| Enzo DiPede | Chicago Horizons | 16 | 931 | 63 | 4.06 | 9 | 6 |
| Mike Dowler | Wichita Wings | 28 | 1616 | 111 | 4.12 | 16 | 12 |
| Sepp Gantenhammer | Baltimore Blast | 33 | 1862 | 130 | 4.19 | 17 | 14 |
| Zoltán Tóth | New York Arrows | 22 | 1005 | 73 | 4.36 | 14 | 2 |
| Shep Messing | New York Arrows | 27 | 1411 | 103 | 4.38 | 21 | 3 |
| Aly Anderson | Denver Avalanche | 10 | 506 | 38 | 4.51 | 4 | 4 |
| Richard But | Hartford Hellions | 39 | 2262 | 175 | 4.64 | 12 | 25 |
| Slobo Ilijevski | St. Louis Steamers | 33 | 1878 | 146 | 4.66 | 21 | 11 |
| Pascal Antoine | Denver Avalanche | 13 | 698 | 56 | 4.81 | 7 | 5 |
| Scott Manning | Buffalo Stallions | 29 | 1380 | 112 | 4.87 | 13 | 12 |

## Playoff Player Statistics
### Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts |
| Steve Zungul | New York Arrows | 3 | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| Branko Segota | New York Arrows | 3 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Andy Chapman | Wichita Wings | 4 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Tony Glavin | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| George Nanchoff | Phoenix Inferno | 3 | 6 | 4 | 10 |

### Leading Goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses
| Player | Team | GP | Min | GA | GAA | W | L |
| Cliff Brown | Cleveland Force | 3 | 188 | 12 | 3.83 | 1 | 2 |
| Mike Dowler | Wichita Wings | 4 | 225 | 19 | 5.07 | 2 | 1 |
| Scott Manning | Buffalo Stallions | 2 | 94 | 8 | 5.09 | 0 | 1 |
| Slobo Ilijevski | St. Louis Steamers | 4 | 255 | 22 | 5.18 | 3 | 1 |
| Zoltán Tóth | New York Arrows | 2 | 69 | 6 | 5.22 | 1 | 0 |

## All-MISL Teams

| First Team | Position | Second Team |
| Shep Messing, New York | G | Richard But, Hartford |
| Dave D'Errico, New York | D | Doc Lawson, Philadelphia |
| Steve Pecher, St. Louis | D | Jim Pollihan, Baltimore |
| Ian Anderson, Cleveland | | |
| Tony Glavin, St. Louis | M | Vic Davidson, Phoenix |
| Steve Zungul, New York | F | Paul Kitson, Chicago |
| Branko Segota, New York | F | Charlie Cordas, Buffalo |
| Honorable Mention | Position | |
| Sepp Gantenhammer, Baltimore | G | Slobo Ilijevski, St. Louis |
| Ty Keough, St. Louis | D | Tony Bellinger, St. Louis |
| Adrian Brooks, Denver | M | Johnny Moore, San Francisco |
| Joe Fink, Philadelphia | F | Jorgen Kristensen, Wichita |

## League awards

* Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, New York
* Scoring Champion: Steve Zungul, New York
* Pass Master: Jorgen Kristiansen, Wichita
* Rookie of the Year: Don Ebert, St. Louis
* Goalkeeper of the Year: Enzo DiPede, Chicago
* Coach of the Year: Don Popovic, New York
* Championship Series Most Valuable Player: Steve Zungul, New York