Ralph Strangis

Ralph Strangis is a play-by-play commentator, who has covered a variety of sports, but most notably has been the commentator for the Dallas Stars ice hockey franchise of the National Hockey League since the team's move to Dallas in 1993.

Strangis has worked as a commentator for ESPN, Fox Sports, and the Westwood One Radio Network. He also commentates for games broadcast on NHL Radio, which have included regular season, playoff, and World Cup games.

Early career
Strangis honed his play-by-play skills in Minnesota and Wisconsin, starting with his first paying radio job at the age of 16. He later worked on local cable television stations doing play by play for a wide variety of high school and college sports. Strangis is especially remembered for his broadcasts of Bloomington Kennedy and Bloomington Jefferson high school hockey that appeared on Bloomington Educational Cable. Strangis' earliest national exposure was as play-by-play man and ring announcer for the American Wrestling Association on ESPN,[1] where he worked alongside Lee Marshall,[2] and later Eric Bischoff,[3] in the waning days of that promotion.

Although he had quite a bit of broadcast experience, his tryout as color commentator on the Minnesota North Stars radio network was a longshot—with other better-known sportscasters getting more air time during the auditioning process. As the story goes, five prospects split up a game as guest commentators alongside Al Shaver, then voice of the Minnesota North Stars. The two better-known talents each took a period and then the three longshots split up the third—with Strangis going last. When Al Shaver was asked who he liked the best, he chose Strangis. Ralph shone in his audition, with the perfect ability to complement Shaver's play-by-play with insights from the players and his own intimate knowledge of the game. When the Stars moved to Dallas in 1993, Shaver decided to not to migrate south with the franchise and retired. After two more seasons as color commentator (teaming with Mike Fornes), Strangis migrated to the play-by-play mike, effectively cementing his status as the "Voice of the Stars."

Ralph and Razor
In 1996 former NHL goalie Daryl Reaugh joined Strangis as the Stars' color commentator, thus creating the popular duo "Ralph and Razor". The two have achieved a near cult-like following in the city of Dallas, so much so that, even though fan support and Dallas' media market size could easily support separate radio and television broadcast teams, the Stars have elected to continue simulcasting the pair. In 2008 the Stars added in-arena radio (on 97.5FM) allowing fans yet another opportunity to hear the popular team.

In a poll conducted by the Dallas Morning News, his most famous line was voted the most memorable moment in Dallas history. "Hull scores! Yes! Yes! Yes! The Stars win the Stanley Cup, the Stars win the Stanley cup!"