BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The most recent Sabres Hall of Fame inductee showed off his trademark toughness when an errant puck smacked Rob Ray in the face during the first period of Buffalo’s 8-2 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday night at KeyBank Center.
The television broadcast caught Ray’s letting out profane reaction to the deflection that opened a gashes above his eye and on his nose while breaking his glasses. But Ray remained in his position between the benches providing color commentary.
“I got a couple little stitches,” Ray told play-by-play partner Dan Dunleavy later in the game. “Right where the golf ball is right here,” Ray said while pointing at a bump above his eyebrow. “That’s not normal.
The Sabres’ all-time leader in penalty minutes known for his bare-chested fighting spirit, Ray was blooded by flying puck to the face last season. He also kept on broadcasting that game while holding a bandage over the cut.
A month later, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff was struck in the face by a puck while coaching for the New Jersey Devils and had to leave the bench area.
“Well, Rob’s puck hit him at approximately 15 miles an hour,” Ruff said. “The one that hit me hit me at 100. And here’s the difference, when the puck hits Rob’s head, it breaks. When it hits mine, it just absorbs it.”
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.