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The Buffalo Sabres had the chance to win a playoff series for the first time in 19 years when they hosted the Bruins on Tuesday night. The national anthem singer encountered an issue when she stepped onto the ice ahead of that contest, but we were treated to an awesome moment when fans at the KeyBank Center rose to the occasion by singing “O Canada” themselves.
The Sabres headed into the current NHL season riding a 14-year playoff drought, and it seemed like it was poised to continue when you consider they were sitting at 11-14-4 a week into December. However, Buffalo subsequently rattled off a 10-game winning streak, and they ultimately punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011 by finishing at the top of the Atlantic Division.
They ended up facing off against the Bruins in the first round, and they jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a dramatic comeback in front of a rabid crowd that got to experience playoff hockey in Buffalo for the first time in 15 years.
On Tuesday night, the team had the chance to close out the series on home ice with a 3-1 lead, and the Sabres supporters in attendance cemented their reputation as one of the best fan bases in the NHL by stepping up during the Canadian national anthem.
Sabres fans came to the rescue after the anthem singer’s microphone malfunctioned during “O Canada”
The KeyBank Center was absolutely electric during the two games the Sabres played against the Bruins to open up their series, and there was zero doubt that was going to be the case when it headed back to Buffalo on Tuesday night. The home team had the opportunity to put things away following a 6-1 blowout in Boston on Sunday, and the arena was rocking well before the puck dropped.
NHL games between teams from the United States and Canada feature the national anthems for both countries. However, Buffalo is unique in its approach, as “O Canada” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” are performed before every game regardless of who the Sabres are playing due to the city’s proximity to the border.
Cami Clune, a Buffalo native who competed on The Voice, has spent more than a decade performing the national anthems at Sabres games, and she got the nod for Game 5. However, things did not go as planned, as her microphone cut out before she was able to get through the first line of “O Canada.”
It continued to go in and out as she made her way through the song, and fans quickly picked up the slack.
After a microphone issue in Buffalo, the entire crowd helps with the singing of O Canada ahead of Game 5 👏 pic.twitter.com/0q6HeLTCZ8
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 28, 2026
Amazing scene as the mic cuts out as the Sabres crowd sings Oh Canada in the anthem singer’s place. 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/Y3oxx9vtSP
— David Alter (@davidalter) April 28, 2026
Clune switched mics and was able to get through “The Star-Spangled Banner” without any issues, and she gave props to the fans that rallied behind her.
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The Bruins were ultimately able to send the series back to Boston for Game 6, as David Pastrnak netted the game-winning goal on a breakaway in overtime.
PASTA SCORES WE ARE HEADING TO A GAME 6!!!! 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/ENHh3BmSTj
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 29, 2026
However, the crowd certainly showed up despite the loss.