For the first time in nearly a decade, the Toronto Maple Leafs are advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; however, the moment was not quite punctuated in the way radio play-by-play announcer Joe Bowen envisioned.
Captain John Tavares netted the game-winner past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. It was surely an exciting moment for Tavares, especially since he is a native of nearby Mississauga, Ontario, but listeners on the radio were told the goal was scored by forward Morgan Rielly instead.
“Tavares coming out; sends it on goal – they score!” Bowen proclaimed. “They score! Holy Mackinaw, they score! Morgan Rielly! Mo, Mo, Mo Rielly! The Leafs have won it! They’re going to the second round! Do you believe this? Holy Mackinaw.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs radio broadcasters were calling the game remotely, a practice instituted because of complications associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. While a preponderance of broadcast providers have reversed course on this practice in the years since the onset of the pandemic, the Maple Leafs have continued as such, presumably because of the associated cost. Road games throughout the playoffs are split between Sportsnet and TSN, respectively, and both outlets released statements divulging that games would be called remotely through the first round.
Color commentator Jim Ralph recognized that while Reilly was involved in the play, he was not responsible for the goal, but Bowen was presumably caught up in the revelry of the moment and got confused.
Bowen received criticism on Twitter from a fan for stumbling on two of the three overtime goals throughout the series, with the user calling it a “tough look.”
In response, Bowen stated the difficulties associated with making a call off of a television monitor, and said the television coverage of the celebration made it look as if Reilly had won the game. Subsequent comments were made in favor of Bowen, with many calling him the No. 1 play-by-play announcer in the sport. Another user expressed how the Maple Leafs not having their radio broadcast team at the game was “an international embarrassment.”
