Nobody would have blamed Rob Ray had he taken a step back.
Yet Ray, despite taking a hockey puck to the head, barely hesitated.
The longtime Buffalo Sabres winger turned broadcaster took a puck square to the face on Monday night during the Sabres’ game against the Arizona Coyotes. The puck hit him right between the eyebrows and even drew blood.
Yet Ray barely flinched. He wiped blood off with a towel, got a bandage put on and kept right on going.
“All good,” he said calmly before later returning to the broadcast.
Rob Ray took a puck to the face. might need some stitches #LetsGoBuffalo #Yotes pic.twitter.com/QZHsoD4VNI
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) December 12, 2023
“Normal guy would have been carried out of here” 😂 pic.twitter.com/AdrthyspBL
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) December 12, 2023
“I’m just trying to clean my glasses up a little bit so I can put them on and see through them again,” he said later before adding that he’ll likely be getting stitches on Monday night. “A normal guy would have been carried out of here.”
Hey, more power to him.
Ray, 55, joined the Sabres’ broadcasting crew in 2012. He spent 14 of his 15 seasons in the NHL playing for the Sabres from 1989-2002. He’s still the team’s all-time leader in penalty minutes, too.
The Sabres beat the Coyotes 5-2 on Monday night at the KeyBank Center, which brought them to 12-14-3 on the season. They’ll head out to Denver for a matchup with the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday. Based on how Ray reacted on Monday night, he’s sure to be there — even if it’s with a few extra stitches.
