LAS VEGAS — His emphatic radio calls are unmistakable.
And they've only gotten better as the Colorado Avalanche season has moved into the playoffs.
Conor McGahey, the play-by-play announcer for the Colorado Avalanche is enjoying his "dream job" because he's been a lifelong fan.
"It's fun no matter what. And it's always more fun when you win -- somebody very famous said that," McGahey said in an interview with 9NEWS in Las Vegas ahead of Game 3 against the Golden Knights.
"The good part about doing the broadcasts for the Avalanche is that I've been a fan my entire life. So I ride the rollercoaster of the Avalanche with everybody else."
Being back at T-Mobile Arena is always unique for McGahey because he served as the Golden Knights' television host for their inaugural season in 2017.
"It was a magical year. It started off very tough with the October 1 shooting; 56 people lost their lives," he explained. "It's tough to find a balance between having the start of this franchise when pro sports have never been in the city of Las Vegas."
As far as his radio calls, McGahey says his love of pop culture references plays a part in coming up with them on the spot.
"My brother and I, we basically communicate in movie quotes," McGahey said. "It's just more fun than 'He gets the puck, he passes.' It's just a little extra spice on it, I suppose."
Working a playoff series that pits his current team against his former one, McGahey says it's the start of something we will see more often.
"I see a budding rivalry," McGahey said. "Now you have skill going against skill, you have grit going against grit, you have goaltending going against goaltending -- and now you have a little bit of gnarliness going against gnarliness.
"Those are all qualities of a rivalry think I think will be here for years to come."
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