Rob Ray was taking no chances on Tuesday.
The Buffalo Sabres color analyst moved his broadcast spot to the 300s section of KeyBank Center after being hit in the face with a puck during the team’s game against the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Ray, who played 14 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Sabres, opened the pregame broadcast waving from section 327 of the arena where he sat in the last seat of the stands.
“Way up here guys, I’m up here with all my friends,” Ray told his broadcast partners in the clip. “In the spotlight, the furthest spot away from any activity down on the ice.”
During the first period of Saturday’s game, Ray was struck by the puck close to his eye as he stood between the benches. The Sabres doctors and players checked on the announcer who gave them the go-ahead to keep playing.
He later received stitches on the cut above his eye.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff chirped Ray before Tuesday’s game saying he didn’t expect him to be between the benches because he wasn’t a Western Canadian guy. Ray is from Stirling, Ontario.
