Sadly, Rick Jeanneret passed away last Thursday, and the famed Buffalo Sabres announcer left quite a legacy, including a number of unforgettable calls.
In a way, the Buffalo Sabres 2023-24 season starts tonight at 7 PM, when MSG re-airs RJ Night, which originally occurred on April 1st, 2022 vs. the Nashville Predators. If you missed the game last season, or if you want to relive the historic night, tonight is your first chance, and the Blue and Gold are just getting started with remembering their famed play-by-play announcer.
At 9 PM, you will hear RJ’s last call, which originally aired on April 29th, 2022. It’s definitely a moment you don’t want to miss, and the adrenaline-pumping game allowed RJ to retire on a high note thanks to Casey Mittelstadt – who less than one calendar year later did the same for goaltender Craig Anderson.
Buffalo Sabres fans, relive your favorite RJ moments until September 8th
You won’t just see recent games, as some of RJ’s most famous moments occurred decades ago. We’re talking about the Jason Pominville’s game-winner in Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal, Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal that sent the Silver, Black, and Red (currently known as the Blue and Gold) into the Conference Finals vs. those infamous Toronto Maple Leafs, and more.
This is a great way to remember RJ, and to prime yourself for the upcoming NHL season with the Prospects Challenge also coming just one week after the tribute ends on September 8th. Oh, and don’t forget to tune into Remembering RJ: The Man Behind the Mic at 5 PM on Sunday, as it will be quite a moving and unforgettable experience.
Over the past week, we at Sabre Noise have paid our own tributes to RJ, which you can read mine, and that from our contributor, Zach. We hope you enjoy the Buffalo Sabres and MSG’s tribute to RJ, a legendary announcer who connected generations of fans with his iconic voice and takes.
Source: Sabres to air classic RJ games on MSG beginning Friday, Aug. 25 by Sabres.com