Sabres Hockey Network The Sabres Hockey Network is the official radio and television broadcast network of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League . The network is currently operated jointly by the Sabres and by Entercom Communications . Rick Jeanneret is the network ' s play - by - play voice and has served in that capacity since 1971 , with Harry Neale currently serving as color commentator . Mike Robitaille fills in as commentator when Neale has other duties or is ill ; if Jeanneret is ill or has the night off , Kevin Sylvester handles play - by - play while Neale and Rob Ray split color commentary . In the 2008 - 2009 season , former Phoenix Coyotes broadcaster Curt Keilback covered for Jeanneret during the team ' s western road trip . In the 2009 - 2010 season , the Sabres did not send their television broadcast crew on the western road trip and used the local broadcasts of the Phoenix Coyotes , Anaheim Ducks , Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks as the " home " broadcast . The radio network ' s postgame show is hosted by WGR personality Brian Koziol . Mike Schopp and Chris " Bulldog " Parker host the pre - game show , which airs only on WGR . On television , there is no pregame , and the postgame show , entitled " The Shootout " , is hosted by Kevin Sylvester , Rob Ray and Mike Robitaille . ( Prior to 2005 , the television pregame - postgame shows were simulcast on radio . The postgame was known as " Hockey Hotline " and hosted by Robitaille , first with host Brian Blessing and then Josh Mora . ) The theme song for broadcasts , since 2005 , has been " Hurricane 2000 , " an orchestral arrangement of the song " Rock You Like a Hurricane " recorded by the Scorpions and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on the album " Moment of Glory " . Only the instrumental portions are played . Television . The Sabres Hockey Network airs on MSG Network throughout Upstate New York ; the team and network are contracted for 70 games , with the play - by - play and commentary simulcasted over video . The other 12 air only on the radio half of the network , including all games broadcast on the league ' s national outlets . Games against the New York Rangers , New York Islanders or New Jersey Devils ( other hockey teams to which MSG owns TV rights ) will carry the Sabres Hockey Network feed on the Secondary Audio Program of MSG or MSG Plus in New York City and the surrounding areas . MSG and the Sabres have an agreement to carry Sabres games through 2016 . On DirecTV , channel 638 ( and 638 - 1 for HD games ) is used exclusively for Sabres games . In the past , single games were sold to one of the Buffalo broadcast stations ( WGRZ - TV , WIVB - TV and WKBW - TV ) , usually games played on Saturdays . This has not happened since MSG took over the broadcast contract . Games carried by Versus , NBC , and CBC Television are not produced by the Sabres , and these television broadcasts are not considered to be part of the Sabres Hockey Network . The network produces " radio only " broadcasts for its terrestrial affiliates when a Versus or NBC game airs . Personalities , past and present . Current : < br > Rick Jeanneret , TV and radio play - by - play Harry Neale , TV and radio color commentator Rob Ray , studio analyst and bench reporter Kevin Sylvester , studio host , fill - in play - by - play Mike Robitaille , studio analyst Danny Gare , fill - in studio analyst Past : < br > Ted Darling , TV play - by - play ( 1970 – 1991 ) < br > Dave Hodge , radio play - by - play ( 1970 – 1971 ) < br > Jim Lorentz , color commentator ( 1981 – 2007 ) < br > Danny Gare , bench reporter ( ? - 2004 ) < br > Brian Blessing , studio analyst ( 1995 – 2004 ) < br > John Gurtler , TV play - by - play ( 1991 – 1995 ) < br > Pete Weber , TV play - by - play ( 1995 - 1997 ) < br > Josh Mora , studio host Miscellaneous notes . The Sabres radio network also simulcasts " Schopp and the Bulldog " to WROC in Rochester . The Rochester situation is unique in that a different station carries regular season games than in the postseason . This is because WROC has a much weaker AM signal , and the network switched to FM station WBZA to maximize coverage during the postseason . In 2008 , with Entercom ' s purchase of WCMF , Sabres games moved to that channel instead . Since 1997 , the radio play - by - play has been simulcast on the station ' s cable partner ( Empire Sports Network from 1997 to 2004 , and MSG Network from 2005 to the present ) . Prior to this , Ted Darling was the team ' s television play - by - play voice , though he was forced to retire due to Pick ' s disease in 1991 . John Gurtler did TV play - by - play from 1991 to 1995 , and Pete Weber handled those duties from that point until 1997 . Unlike most shows on MSG Network , the Sabres control all television broadcasts of their games .