Tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings marks the end of an era for the Edmonton Oilers and their fan base as play-by-play great, Rod Phillips, calls the game for the last time ever tonight on 630 CHED.
Rod’s career has spanned 3,542 games, 37 years and 5 Stanley Cup championships. Oilers writer, Robin Brownlee, details the monumental occasion on OilersNation.com in a far better way than I could.
I’ve been lucky to catch a few of “Rod’s Classics” this year, where Rod has returned behind the mic for ten games to do the play-by-play. Hearing Rod’s excitement and passion for the game takes me back to when the Oilers were in their hay day, chewing bubble gum and winning Stanley Cups (and they were all out of bubble gum in those days). I also wouldn’t discount his influence over my own ‘no holds barred’ vocal insanity while watching the Oilers play, even to this day.
Enjoy this game, Rod. Hats off to you.