Americans erupt into O Canada after Buffalo anthem singer's mic mishap
For about two and a half minutes inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., on Tuesday night, the simmering Canada-U.S. tensions seemed to melt away just a bit, all thanks to the stirring voices of some 19,000 people in the stands.
As Cami Cline, the team’s official anthem singer, started O Canada ahead of a playoff game against the Boston Bruins, her microphone crackled and started to die.
The crowd of almost entirely Sabres faithful didn’t miss a beat and picked it up immediately, singing the song from the third line of “True patriot love.” Their voices grew louder still as Clune’s mic cut in and out as she tried to join in. Eventually, the mic goes silent and the crowd grows even louder as it sings the anthem to completion, ending with a chorus of applause.
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
Clune was then handed a fresh mic and delivered a rousing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner as the patriotic crowd accompanied.
“Well that was interesting,” Clune (pronounced like Clooney) posted to X after. “Thank you all for singing along with me. We have the best fans ever!”
Well that was interesting!! Thank you all for singing along with me????????????We have the best fans ever!❤️ #gosabres #letsgobuffalo
— Cami Clune (@camiclune) April 29, 2026
The Sabres are the only NHL team that regularly performs the Canadian anthem at every home game, a tradition that began when the club was founded in 1970, according to Sabres Hall of Famer Danny Gare, a Canadian from B.C.
“A lot of the fans back in the lower Niagara region and St. Catharines — Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Fort Erie — were season ticket holders, and we probably had, back when I played, I would say, 35 per cent of the fans were season ticket holders from Canada,” he recently explained to Buffal radio statio WREN 930AM .
“I’ve always thought it’s very unique, and it’s great for both countries.”
It helps, too, that Key Bank is located less than 10 kilometres from the border.
Financial Post columnist and life-long Sabres fan Garry Marr, who made the 90-minute drive from Toronto for the game, said the Peace Bridge had only one booth open and was virtually devoid of traffic headed into downtown Buffalo when he arrived.
He said the same was true for the other dozen or so games he’s seen this season, which he attributed to the ongoing Canadian boycott of all things American, but pointed out that playoff ticket prices starting around US$300 were likely a factor in fewer cross-border fans on Tuesday.
“So this was Americans, really. They know the anthem,” he told National Post, noting that it’s normal to see people stand, remove their hats and hear people sing along.
“I don’t know about all of America, but in Buffalo they’re pretty welcoming to Canadians, because it’s pretty well tied to their economy.”
According to economic development agency Invest Buffalo Niagara , more than US$90 million (CAD$123M) in trade crosses the bridge annually, with roughly 15 per cent of all Canada-U.S. trade passing through.
Two things that stood out to Marr, who was seated in the upper bowl, were how the voices grew louder as they realized Clune was having technical difficulties and that so many people knew the words by heart.
“I was trying to determine which version of the anthem they were singing — the up-to-date version or the older version — I wasn’t quite sure of that, but they knew the words, they sang it quite lustily,” Marr said.
“I know Canadians who don’t know the words.”
Marr’s first memory of the game will regrettably be the Sabres’ 2-1 overtime loss, but the “nice moment” delivered by his fellow fans will also stay with him.
“You want to feel welcome at a hockey game. You want to know that you’re appreciated coming through and stuff like that,” Marr said.
“And that’s been my experience going to Buffalo.”
Buffalo still lead the best-of-seven first-round series 3-2 with Game 6 set for Friday night in Boston. Game 7, if necessary, goes Sunday back in Buffalo.
On social media, Canadians expressed gratitude for the neighbourly deed, many of whom were completely oblivious to the 56-year-old tradition.
“I’m a Leafs fan and I had no idea the Sabres sang the Canadian anthem before their games regardless of who they’re playing. Sooo cool,” Michelle Grant Hunt commented on Sportsnet’s video.
“Now go pulverize those Bruins and really make me smile! Go Sabres!!!”
(As any Toronto Maple Leafs will attest, the Boston Bruins have been the team’s post-season Achilles heel, eliminating them in four series since 2013.)
It seems some Americans were also unaware, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
“Why they playing Canadien (sic) national anthem in Buffalo? Buffalo been out of the playoffs so long they forgot what country they live in,” he wrote on X last week.
Why they playing Canadien national anthem in Buffalo? Buffalo been out of the playoffs so long they forgot what country they live in?
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) April 19, 2026
(The official Barstool X account shared the video from Tuesday’s game.)
While misinformed about the anthem, he was correct in the organization’s post-season assessment. Before this season, the Sabres had missed the playoffs for 14 straight seasons, an auspicious league record they claimed three seasons ago.
Save for the original six franchises (Montreal, Toronto, Boston, New York, Detroit and Chicago), which still maintain huge pockets of support among older Canadian cohorts, it’s no stretch to say the Sabres are the most Canadian-American team in the NHL.
The title itself is spelled in Canadian English (the namesake swords are sabers in the U.S.), which is likely a byproduct of being named by a Canadian — Toronto filmmaker Harry Cole, who entered and won a 1969 contest to name the team.
According to The Hockey Writers (THW), Seymour Knox III, one of the founding owners along with his brother Northrup, reportedly said he specifically chose the variant spelling to honour the Canadian fans.
“Our name denotes an aggressive, sharp and penetrating weapon on offense and a parrying weapon on defense,” Knox III said in a statement at the time.
The Hockey Writers also highlighted the successful history of Canadians on the roster, like the 1972 to 1979 French Connection line of Gilbert Perrault, Rick Martin and Rene Robert, who amassed 1,681 points over 1,536 man-games together and led the team to its first Stanley Cup Final in 1975, just five years after expansion. (They lost to the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers in six games.)
THW also reported that the top-ten all-time points in Sabres history include nine Canadians, led by Perreault’s 1,326, and 12 former Canadian players are part of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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