1. “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” Al Michaels, 1980 Olympics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGACsSW4Iqw
This call is the top call on the list of NHL play-by-play calls for many reasons. For one, it almost guaranteed a gold medal was coming to the United States. The USA is not a big market for hockey, contrary to Mr. Bettman’s beliefs. But this game, this goal, this call, brought America out of the dumps of the Cold War, out of a horrible economy and a possible world conflict with the Soviet Union, by watching their team defeat the mighty hockey dynasty. It was a lot more than hockey game, as many say. It was a sort of political statement (unfortunately) that showed the world of the USA’s power and ability to answer to adversity. And these young college kids did just that.
2. “Heeeeeenderson, has scored for Canada!” Foster Hewitt, 1972 Summit Series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWwN9kHnsKI&feature=related
No goal in hockey history changed Canada like Paul Henderson’s goal to defeat the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series. Many have argued he should be in the Hall of Fame for this, though the election committee (and myself) do not agree. For those of you that argue it should be number one, hear me out before you chew me out (then chew me out anyway). Yes, this goal was incredible, it came at a perfect time, and it lifted a nation out of a horrible mindset. Nonetheless, it was an exhibition game. The Summit Series winner was not given anything but the satisfaction of beating another country. Nothing else. It does not take away from the accomplishment of winning the series. It was still amazing.
3. “The New York Rangers are the Stanley Cup Champions, and this one will last a lifetime!” Sam Rosen, 1994 Stanley Cup Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzq2AhbXSeY
The curse is over. Well, it was. Now they have another curse. It’s called Glen Sather.
4. “The Soviets are leaving! They’re going home!” 1976 Flyers-Red Army game
http://flyers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=451292&navid=DL|PHI|home
Bob Cole calls the Soviet Red Army team skating off the ice after a nasty hit on Valeri Kharlamov of the Soviet team. What did the Flyers fans do? The same thing they always do. Taunt. Anger. Show the passion they have for their team.
5. “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau! The Rangers are headed to the finals!” Howie Rose, 1994 Conference Final, Game 7, Overtime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZDsIaTmO_k
The excitement of the Rangers getting a chance to play for the Stanley Cup is reflected in Howie Rose’s call of Matteau’s overtime game winner in the Eastern Conference Final.
6. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers have won the Stanley Cup!” Gene Hart, 1974 Stanley Cup Final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-feMY5gi1M&feature=fvw
As a Flyers fan, I’ve seen and heard this hundreds of times. And it never gets old. The Flyers even have a ringtone for your phone with this call. Don’t worry, I’m not that much of a freak.
7. “Bobby Orr, behind the net to Sanderson to Orr! Bobby Orr! Scores! And the Boston Bruins have won the Stanley Cup!” Game 4, May 10, 1970, Bruins vs. Blues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4yZZLXLmJk&feature=related
The goal. One of the most important and famous in NHL history.
8a. “The Colorado Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup! Raymond Bourque! A dream has come true!” Gary Thorne, 2001 Stanley Cup Final, Game 7
8b. “Joe Sakic will come out to receive it as captain, the Stanley Cup-winning Colorado Avalanche, and after 22 years…RAYMOND BOURQUE!” Gary Thorne, 2001 Stanley Cup Final, Game 7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGovDkf6JHs&feature=related
Ray Bourque was moved to Colorado in hopes that he would be able to both bring them and himself a championship, something he hadn’t done in his long NHL career. It took 22 years, but Bourque finally found himself on the winning side of an NHL season. The 2000-01 Colorado Avalanche helped make Bourque’s wish come true, as did captain and future Hall-of Famer Joe Sakic when he handed the Cup straight to Bourque after receiving it from Commissioner Bettman.
9. “Rolston ahead, shoves it on, bearing back in is Zajac…backhander, he scooooores! …no!” Doc Emrick, calling a Phantom goal on March 23, 2009 (Flyers vs. Devils)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwoZSqsA-rQ
If I may say, this is one of the funniest moments in recent memory. As everyone knows, Doc Emrick gets a bit crazy when a goal is scored. So what happens when he thinks a goal is scored, but it isn’t? Well, check out the clip that keeps my friends and I laughing on a regular basis.
10. “The drop comes to Kunitz moving in, to Crosby, ohhhhh! What a save! My goodness what a save by Varlamov! The save of the playoffs!” Doc Emrick, May 2, 2009, Penguins vs. Capitals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwtNoIIWCLk&feature=fvw
In the semifinals, Penguins vs. Capitals, a two-on-one with Kunitz and Crosby occurs. Crosby has a wide open net and just barely tips it towards the goal. He puts his arms in the air to celebrate, only to see rookie nobody Simeon Varlamov reach back with his stick and just barely tip the puck away, in one of the most incredible saves of the 2008-09 season. Play-by-play man Doc Emrick went crazy (as he always does), yelling at the top of his lungs. The simple excitement of the game, the call, and the play itself, all combined, just barely puts it on this list.
Honorable Mentions
“He scores! He scores! Jeremy Roenick! Sends the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals! Sudden death magic for JR and the Flyers move on!” Jim Jackson, 2004 Semifinals, Game 6, Overtime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4GWnqUeZVQ
Jeremy Roenick scores in Game 6 of the 2004 Semifinals in the Air Canada Centre to send the Flyers to Tampa Bay for the third round. Unbelievable moment, one of the most memorable. Watch the clip and you’ll understand why it’s so incredible. Simply chaos. But let’s let Flyers’ play-by-play man Jim Jackson explain why it’s one of his favorite calls.
“That call when JR scored in Toronto jumps out to me because I was out of voice. Basically what happened was play had gone back and forth for quite a long time and Kapanen got hit and I’m describing that and Toronto had a ton of chances, Robert Esche made some great saves and I know that in overtime, I was just about out of gas. And then here they come, two-on-one, I was out of breath, I was pretty much by the time he scores, sucking for air...that call certainly stands out, because I was lucky I made it through it, to be honest (laughs).”
“Here’s May going in on goal, he shoots, he scores! May Day! May Day! May Day!” April 24, 1993, Buffalo vs. Boston.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0xxSsEqjIk
Bray May is mainly known for his grit and physical play. However, one of the greatest moments in his NHL career came while on the Buffalo Sabres. In the 1992-93 season, the Sabres had finished fourth in their division and were set to face the first place Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Extreme underdogs, the Sabres went out and dominated the B’s, culminating in Brad May’s game four overtime series clincher, leading to long-time Sabres broadcast Rick Jeanneret’s famous proclamation.
Alan Bass is a Senior Writer for Bleacher Report, the Community Leader for the NHL and Philadelphia Flyers’ section, and a writer for TheHockeyNews.com, Prohockeynews.com, Insidehockey.com and Hockey54.com. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.
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