Legendary NHL broadcaster dead at 76

A voice that Pittsburgh Penguins fans relied on for years will no longer be heard on the air.

Mike Lange, a Hall of Fame NHL broadcaster, has passed away.

He was 76 years old. No cause of death was given as of this report.

He's Really Gone

Fans of Pittsburgh knew Lange's voice as soon as it hit the airways, with a raspiness that could not be mistaken.

Lange was behind the microphone for about five decades, seeing the team through thick and thin, including some amazing Stanley Cup runs.

He has called games featuring many of the team's all-time greats, including Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin.

The Pittsburgh Penguins paid tribute to the Hall of Famer on social media, stating, "Mike was a wordsmith -- a magician behind the mic. Only Mike could make the biggest names in hockey seem more magical with just his voice."

Former Penguin and broadcaster Phil Bourque added that Lange was "one of the kindest, most loyal and loving humans I've ever met."

Lange was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame as a broadcaster in 2001, which was the same year he was awarded the Foster Hewitt Award for broadcast excellence.

One of Lange's more infamous calls was when the Penguins won it all in 1992, with Lange telling his listeners, "Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, get me the brandy."

Lange had called the team's games for years, concentrating on only radio since 2006.

He called the 2009, 2016, and 2017 Stanley Cup wins, finally retiring in 2021 after having called the games for 46 years.

After retiring in 2021, which marked five decades of his broadcasting career, the Penguins honored him in October at the start of the 2021-22 season.

Lange stated, "I didn't get cheated in my quest to do what I have always loved."

Rest in peace, sir, and thank you for some amazing memories in hockey.