BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret has been taken out of the press box on a stretcher during the third period of Buffalo’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.
The team did not provide an update on Jeanneret’s condition following its 3-0 victory Saturday night.
Jeanneret, 76, has done play-by-play for Sabres radio and television broadcasts since 1971, the longest tenure with a single team in NHL history. He was honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame with the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2012.
In recent years, Jeanneret and the Sabres reached a deal to scale back his workload and call about half the team’s games. Jeanneret underwent treatment after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
Jeanneret opened the broadcast Saturday night dressed in a red Santa Claus suit and a white beard. He was walking around the press box between the second and third periods.
Jeanneret called the first two minutes of the third period before the broadcast went silent for about 20 seconds and color commentator Rob Ray took over the play-by-play. Pregame and postgame host Brian Duff replaced Jeanneret and finish the game.