Toronto Maple Leafs hockey doesn’t appear to be returning any time soon, but one member of the organization is staying busy.
In a post on Twitter, public address announcer Mike Ross offering up personalized goal calls on social media and the response has been overwhelming.
“I hope you’re healthy and that you’re practicing your social distancing, and that’s what we’re doing here,” he said.
“I’m doing your goal requests, all right? Trying to bring a little bit of sunshine into what is a difficult time for a lot of us right now.
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Ross told Global News he only got a few responses over the first couple of days.
“But then on Monday it just absolutely exploded — and it’s non-stop,” he said.
Ross said he has been recording 30 to 40 goal calls per night and he figures he would have to continue doing so for the next three to four weeks to catch up to the demand.
“It’s a real fun mix,” he said.
The voice of the Leafs normally calls on average between three and six goals for the home team per night.
“I mean it’s people asking for goals by themselves, goals assisted by Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Tavares — you name it.”
There is only one rule: no goal calls for opposing teams.
“We’re not doing Boston goals. We’re doing all Leafs, all the time,” he said.
Of all the requests so far, Ross said the most special has been a request by Johnny Bower’s grandson to announce the Leafs legend as the first star of the game.