Late Sabres play-by-play man gave hockey fans one of the greatest calls in NHL history
Former longtime Buffalo Sabres play-by-play announcer and Hockey Hall of Famer Rick Jeanneret passed away on Thursday at 89 years old, per multiple reports. Known for his bellowing voice and enthusiastic calls, perhaps none is remembered more fondly than the one Jeanneret made over 30 years ago.
On April 24, 1993, Brad May tallied the overtime winner in Game 4 of the Adams Division semifinals, clinching the Sabres' first playoff series win in a decade while helping create a legendary line from Jeanneret.
The call had all the hallmarks that made Jeanneret so beloved as the voice of the Sabres, including his prolonged, drawn-out stretching of "score!" which became his trademark. However, on the spot, Jeanneret shouted "May Day!" repeatedly as pandemonium ensued.
While many credited Jeanneret for thinking fast on his feet, he admitted after the fact he had no idea what to say.
"They've asked me, 'When did you plan to do that?'" Jeanneret told Jourdon LaBarber of NHL.com. "I say, 'Plan? That guy hadn't scored in 18 games!'"
As for May, he said that Jeanneret making the call on his memorable goal made it "extra special."
Health problems derailed Jeanneret's time in the booth on multiple occasions over the years, but he returned time and time again, even though the number of games he called decreased slowly. Jeanneret called his final game on May 29, 2022, and seemed content even as his career was winding down, aside from one thing still missing in Buffalo.
"I'm totally satisfied with the way my career has gone and the only thing that's missing is the same thing that's missing from every Buffalo Sabres Fan's heart: the Stanley Cup," Jeannert told Nick Mendola of Buffalo Spree magazine in 2020.
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