If you’ve followed sports long enough, you’re no doubt familiar with the announcer’s jinx. But during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, Sean McDonough and Ray Ferraro, calling the game on ABC, did the exact opposite.
With the score 1-1 and overtime just getting started, Boston’s David Pastrňák ended the game and series with a goal. His teammate, Hampus Lindholm, fired the puck into the offensive zone from center ice. The puck banked off of the boards, right in front of the net. Pastrňák was there waiting. He corralled the puck, then fired it past Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov for the winning goal. While the goal was impressive, what came before it made it even more remarkable.
As the Bruins were bringing the puck up the ice from behind their net, McDonough said, “So often, these overtime games end on a strange bounce or a rebound.”
Ferraro added, “Send it to the net and get people to the net.” As he finished saying that, Lindholm fired the puck in. McDonough took it from there.
“Lindholm, right wing corner. Pastrňák is there. He scores!
THE BRUINS TAKE GAME 7 TO WIN THE SERIES IN BOSTON! 🏒 pic.twitter.com/7JIoP6ffWS
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) May 5, 2024
The call — particularly its prescient nature — was widely praised.
Announcer zen https://t.co/MwYQQRrcvL
— JR Radcliffe (@JRRadcliffe) May 5, 2024
Absolute perfection in the build up and goal call. McDonough and Ferraro are great
— Andrew Green (@AndrewwGreen) May 5, 2024
McDonough has always been one of the, if not the, best play-by-play announcers. Name the sport, he’s outstanding https://t.co/VY5q9H7I6P
— TJ Killilea (@TJKillilea) May 5, 2024
— Mike Eppel (@eppman) May 5, 2024
Prophetic https://t.co/EuMFgAHz6J
— Daniel Connolly (@DanielVConnolly) May 5, 2024
The timing on this was insane https://t.co/0ILQIWEwTo
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) May 5, 2024
[Photo Credit: ESPN on ABC]

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