Doc Emrick’s Top 5 Calls For New Jersey Devils Hockey
Yesterday, the hockey world said goodbye to one of the sport’s greatest play-by-play announcers ever. Mike “Doc” Emrick announced his retirement after 50 years of covering the NHL. He spent 18 – 21 of those years with the New Jersey Devils. Throughout the years, he made a major impact in the hockey community. He revolutionized play-by-play announcing through is energetic and high-paced voice. Whenever his voice was heard during a game, it made everyone know that they were in for a treat. He made every single game exciting and emotional. His devotion to the sport went beyond the ice by generating close relationships with the players, coaches and create heart warming stories about the players or employees at the arena.
To show my appreciation for Doc’s contributions to the Devils and the rest of the hockey community, I created a list of my Top-5 favorite calls Doc made when he was with the New Jersey Devils.
#5 Neal Broten‘s OT Goal vs The Penguins: Game 4 of the 1995 ECSF
Despite not being alive when the Devils won the cup in 1995, I am well aware that they did and how they accomplished the feat. They were the underdog for the entire playoffs and they ended up having a playoff record of 16-4.
This goal call by Doc was an amazing one. He did a outstanding job building up the play when John MacLean rushed the puck past the blue line, skated behind the net and delivered a great pass across the slot to a wide open Neal Broten who knocked it to the back of the net.
Not only did Doc’s voice make this call a one to remember, the excitement from the crowd, the celebration of the players, and the situation itself made this bring you joy and jump off the edge of your seat. The Devils and the Penguins were playing hard and physical in this game. There was a lot on the line as well. The Devils were winning the series 2-1 and a win by either team in this team could swing momentum heavily into their favor. This goal allowed the Devils to have chance of eliminating the stacked Penguins teams in five games. So when this goal was scored, an eruption of excitement came on New Jersey’s end and it led to a remarkable goal call by Doc.
#4 Martin Brodeur’s Goal vs The Canadiens: Game 1 of the 1997 ECQF
It is very rare to see a goalie score a goal. During the final seconds of Game 1 of the 1997 Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Quarter Finals, Martin Brodeur decided to seal himself when he got the puck from behind the net and sent it flying all the was across the ice into the back of the opposing team’s net. This goal was scored against the Montreal Canadiens, the team that Marty was huge fan of growing up. This was an exciting moment for Marty, the team and the fans.
Doc’s call on this goal was fantastic. What makes this call be at number four of my favorite because of the perfect build up of excitement from when he got the puck to when it ended up in the back of the net. In addition, nobody including Doc did not expect a goalie to score. But Marty did it, IN THE PLAYOFFS!!! All of this made this call by Doc a thing to remember.
#3 Zach Parise’s OT Goal vs The Canadians: January 9th, 2010
We have not seen the last of the Montreal Canadiens being on this list. This time, they fell in overtime when former Devils’ star Zach Parise scored an amazing backhanded goal on a breakaway in the last two and half minutes of overtime. Parise scored after getting a new stick. Travis Zajac sent a perfect pass to this new stick, leading to a game-winning goal. This goal gave the Devils a 2-1 win over the Habs.
This call by Doc by far one of his best. All events preceding to the goal created added fuel to the suspense and excitement to this. Before this goal, the Canadians were pressing in the the Devils’ zone and had a dangerous chance to score. Doc’s excitement throughout these turn of events ending with him yelling SCORE to the top of his lungs made this call of thing of beauty. This is another great example of how Doc can either keep you at the edge of your seat or just get out of your seat jumping in excitement.
#2 Sergei Brylin’s Goal vs The Detroit Redwings: 1995 Stanley Cup Final
This is one of the goals that will always give me chills and create tears in my eyes. The goal scored by the Sarge himself, Sergei Brylin, during the third period of game four of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals gave the Devils huge insurance for the remainder of the game. This goal was all grit. It came from Sarge having great rebound chance while charging into the offensive zone resulting in him and a Redwing into the left corner boards. Sarge recovered quickly and made himself wide open in slot. This allowed him to receive a pass from Brian Rolston and to backhand the puck right by Mike Vernon into the back of the net.
This call of Doc is one the perfect call by Doc. The combination of Doc’s build up of excitement to the play, the way he yells SCORE, Brylin and his teammates celebrating the goal, and the loudness and excitement from the crowd made this call a masterpiece. The documentary of Devils’ 1995 cup run, Heaven, made this goal call much better when it showed the goal from the stands. The crowd jumping up when Doc yelled SCORE was amazing and it brought tears to my eyes when I watched this goal the first few times. This is a goal call that I always want to go back to every time I watch New Jersey Devils highlights.
#1.5 HENRIQUE IT’S OVER!!!
Henrique, it’s over! The goal that not only brought the Devils back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning the cup in 2003, but it also redeemed the Devils from “The Guarantee” curse of1994. The New York Rangers have not been kind to the Devils in the playoffs. Before 2012, the Rangers obliterated them in all of their playoff meetings except for 2006 when the Devils swept them. With the heart breaking losses to the Rangers and frustrating seasons before this point, this goal meant so much for the Devils.
This goal call was the best one Doc made when he broadcasted the Devils and can be considered one of the greatest goal calls ever. Doc called this goal extremely well. Starting with his sudden burst in excitement at the net mount scramble and finishing with him exploding with all of that built up excitement and joy. When we add the unbelievable energy of the crowd, the celebration of the players, the tension and suspense from the game and the entire series, the past playoff history between both teams, and the multiple seasons of frustration and underachievement for the Devils to the mix, it creates the perfect goal and goal call. Even though the Devils are in a dark place right now, this is a moment that Devils fans always come back to this goal for solace to feel hopeful for the future of the team.
Wait a minute, this is supposed to a Top 5. Why isn’t this number one? This is personally the best goal call that Doc brought to the table. However, there is one call by Doc that surpasses this gem by a hair.
Even though the “Henrique it’s over” call is Doc’s best goal call, nothing can top the call Doc made during the final seconds of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals: “The championship to New Jersey. The Devils win the Stanley Cup.” This call was gift for the Devils and Devils fans. It resembled that the Devils finally reached the pinnacle of the hockey world after years of frustration and humiliation. It was the perfect call for this moment in Devils history. It was not like any other calls where it says the x team wins the Stanley Cup. This call will always be in the hearts and minds of Devils fans and they hope that they can hear those words again in years to come.
That is my top “five” New Jersey Devils calls done by Doc Emrick. I want to thank Doc for everything for has done for the Devils and the entire hockey world. His wonderful personality, expertise in broadcasting, and devotion to hockey life, and helping the community will be missed by me and many hockey fans. In addition, his many words and phrases including his infamous “hit the post with the shot” will be missed as well.
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What do you guys think? Do you agree with my selections? Which calls are your favorite? Please feel free to leave a comment below and let’s get a discussion going.