NBC Sports Chicago's Blackhawks pre and postgame host Pat Boyle has seen some things. Prior to covering the Hawks on their recent Cup runs, Boyle was a Flyers rinkside reporter for Comcast in Philadelphia.
In Philly, he saw the third longest game in NHL history: May 4 of 2000, Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Flyers and their sworn enemies the Pittsburgh Penguins. The bout spanned 92:01 AFTER regulation in Pittsburgh, being decided in the fifth overtime when Keith Primeau scored to win it 2-1 for Philly.
It was the longest game of the modern era for the NHL (since 1943-44).
Boyle discussed the "marathon game" on NBC Sports' latest "Sports Uncovered" podcast.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SPORTS UNCOVERED PODCAST FOR FREE.“Most of these guys were a color, that they just didn’t look healthy… this guy could barely stand. They could barely get their legs over the dashers to make changes in the third, the fourth, the fifth overtime," Boyle said on the podcast.
RELATED: Top 10 longest games in Chicago Blackhawks franchise history
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In recounting the unforgettable, and unendable, game with NBC Sports Chicago, Pat remembered the events vividly.
"In between OT periods the locker room door would swing open, where I saw IVs being administered, pizza boxes being passed around and the guys washing it down with Pedialyte," Boyle said.
"After Primeau’s wicked wrister ended the game in the fifth overtime, defenseman Chris Therien was my postgame interview. I asked him one question and I remember thinking to myself, 'This guy looks like he's going to pass out.' So I wrapped up the interview after one question and sent it back to Philadelphia," Boyle said.
Pat has also seen some epic overtime dramatics with his time covering the Hawks.
He was on hand when Chicago forward Andrew Shaw scored the game-winner with his shin pads 112:08 into the game and 12:08 into 3 OT against the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final to win it for the Blackhawks 4-3, the fourth longest game in Hawks' history.
Related: Top 10 longest games in Chicago Blackhawks franchise history
Boyle also witnessed the longest game in Hawks history when Marcus Kruger scored at 16:12 of 3 OT (116:12 into the game) for the longest contest in Blackhawks' history to win Game 2 of the 2015 Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks 3-2.
For Shaw’s “I love shin pads" game-winner in 2013, Pat "was in the bowels of the United Center watching with the rest of the media on TV," he said.
"With every shot attempt in overtime I would 'Ooh' and 'Aah' with the likes of Mark Giangreco (ABC 7), Dan Roan (WGN 9) and Ryan Baker (CBS 2). Also, we may have passed the hat and tossed a couple bucks into an OT game-winner pool. I can’t quite remember.
"Any journalistic integrity was thrown out the window for all three game-winning goals. After I stopped jumping around and fist bumping it was back to work.
For the game in 2000, I still had to conduct a post game interview."
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