Let's Hear Those Anthems

What makes the playoffs so exciting for hockey fans is the atmosphere and unique rituals found in each of the arenas lucky enough to host post-season contests. Characterized by octopuses and whiteouts, this year’s Detroit-Phoenix series is proving to be a favourite with both fans and media alike. Hockey traditions in many cities begin with the national anthems, and it’s unfortunate that this piece of pre-game theatre doesn’t always get the media attention that it deserves, particularly in the United States.

In Boston, Rene Rancourt has been singing at Bruin games for almost 30 years, and the playoffs wouldn’t be the same without his signature salute and fist-pump at the end of the U.S. anthem. In Philadelphia, emotion is at its highest when the late Kate Smith appears on the scoreboard from an era gone by and sings God Bless America.



And in Chicago, the crowd is swept into a frenzy as the organ belts out the tune of the Star Spangled Banner. But while the national anthems are a fixture every Saturday night on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, NBC almost never televises hockey anthem performances prior to the Stanley Cup Finals – and even then, the record is spotty at best.

With hockey traditions not as plentiful south of the border as they are in this country, it’s too bad that NBC doesn’t do more to embrace some of the best traditions at its disposal. The U.S. network will televise game five of the Predators-Blackhawks series on Saturday afternoon, and it would be great to hear that Chicago organ on NBC.

TONIGHT’S GAMES:
Capitals at Canadiens – Game 4, 7 p.m. (TSN)/(RDS)
Sabres at Bruins – Game 4, 7 p.m. (CBC)
Canucks at Kings – Game 4, 10 p.m. (CBC)/(RDS – joined in progress)