Davis: Stanley Cup final series took an unexpected turn for broadcaster Chris Cuthbert

Calgary Herald

a day ago

Chris Cuthbert is also disappointed with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.
Article content
He's not cheering for or against the Oilers, but as the play-by-play announcer on Sportsnet's Stanley Cup telecasts Cuthbert had enjoyed the dramatic, back-to-back overtime contests that opened the series and was hoping Game 3 would continue producing legendary showdowns between Edmonton and the Florida Panthers.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Instead the third game was an ugly, lopsided affair that reigning-champion Florida won 6-1 on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the NHL's best-of-seven title series. Game 4 is slated for Thursday night in Sunrise, Fla. Cuthbert will call the game alongside analyst Craig Simpson, drawing audiences that typically exceed four million Canadian viewers per game, not including streaming numbers.
Article content
Article content
'It's a lot of fun, but you're catching me on the least fun part after last night's tough game,' Cuthbert said Tuesday from 'sticky-hot' southern Florida. 'I mean, the first two felt like we were on our way to one of the greatest Stanley Cup finals ever and we still might get there, but it took a detour in Game 3 for sure.'
Article content
'Maybe the Florida Panthers happened because we've seen that movie,' said Cuthbert, recalling the preliminary victories that moved the Panthers into their third straight Stanley Cup final. 'They did it to Tampa. They did it to Toronto in Game 5 and even worse in Game 7. And I didn't cover it, but it seemed like the first three games against Carolina were pretty similar, too.
Article content
Article content
'The Panthers are an extremely good team that can make you look bad. They made the Oilers look bad last night.'
Article content
Article content
After spending 15 years as TSN's leading broadcaster for CFL games, Cuthbert moved to Sportsnet in 2020 and became the primary play-by-play voice of Hockey Night in Canada. He began broadcasting university football games at Queen's University in the 1970s before getting hired at a Yorkton radio station, CJGX, where he did play-by-play for the Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League's Terriers.
Article content
'You can add that (future NHLers) Chris Chelios, Al MacInnis, Dave Tippett and Ken Daneyko were in the SAJHL that year, so I was in good company,' said Cuthbert.
Article content
That's also where he started dreaming about getting to where he is now, from hearing Al Michaels' iconic 'Do you believe in miracles' during the U.S. hockey team's victory over Russia in the 1980 Winter Olympics to calling his own 'Golden goal' moment while describing Sidney Crosby's game-winner for Canada in the 2010 Games.