The Many Miracles of Devils' Telecast and the MSG Crew | STAN'S STORIES

If you think you're seeing teamwork on the ice during any given Devils game, "You ain't seen nothing yet" until you visit the MSG Networks TV truck hidden in the bowels of The Rock.

A game appears miraculously easy watching in the comfort of your living room but - brother and sister - you have no idea about the miracles performed behind the scenes "in the truck."

The Maven knows. I've spent decades in and out of it dating back to the days when long-forgotten SportsChannel networked New Jersey's games from Byrne Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford.

"It's a whole different ball game now from when we started doing the games," said MSG's Emmy Award-winning producer Roland Dratch. "Like night and day."

A Fort Lee native, Dratch should know. His 30 consecutive years producing Devils games is a record in the business.

"When I started producing," Dratch nostalgically recalled, "we didn't even have a pre-game show. Now the pre-gamer runs for a half-hour; plus we have a post-game show as well.

"Frankly, back at the beginning, I never would have expected how much our production has expanded."

While the Devils coaching staff behind the bench orchestrates a team of 20 players, Dratch has to deal with dozens of specialists in the truck, not to mention "The Outside Crew."

That includes the likes of play-by-play warbler Bill Spaulding, studio host Erika Wachter, analysts Bryce Salvador and Ken Daneyko; not to mention statistician Nick Cahill, and assorted cameramen sprinkled throughout The Rock.

As commander of the crew, Roland would be the first to admit that he'd be lost without his First Mates inside the truck. They include director Tom (The Viking) Meberg, Associate Director Larry Gaines, as well as Graphics Producer Leo Scaglione, Jr.

And that doesn't even include the vital "Techies" who handle sound, signals and what have you.

But - and here The Maven speaks firsthand - the genius-magician behind it all is Producer Dratch, who broke in as a SportsChannel intern in the late 1980's and made it to the top producing his first game in the 1994-95 season, six years after graduating college.

"The toughest challenge is that I never know what to expect on game day," Dratch explained. "I can go in all prepared but our days are never the same from one to another even though I'd like to think they're the same. I'd start out thinking that everything is just great and then, Poof! Just like that it's not so great because problems erupt.

"In Washington once, the truck didn't arrive until 5 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game; which is hard to believe, but we had to wing it. Fortunately the 'B' unit was there with the equipment so we were able to set up the cameras. In Ottawa there was a power outage which meant that if the power didn't return in a half-hour the game was going to be postponed. We also had a power outage at The Rock during a game with the (Tampa Bay) Lightning but after a long delay and winging it with a long interview with Steven Stamkos, we got through that as well. I have to react to the 'curveball' that's always apt to be tossed at us."

Flanked by director Meberg on his right and a host of technical - audio and visual – specialists in various sections of the truck, the entire operation resembles a human beehive geared toward a successful production. When something goes wrong, the entire crew looks to the ship's captain for guidance.

Dratch: "If I start panicking then everyone around me is going to be wondering what to do so the trick for me is always to keep calm and to know what to say and do next. Whatever happens, we have to keep going forward. We joke and say, 'You can't stop time' because in our business, there's no room for pause. It's always a matter of 'What's next? What's next?'"

A good example of their quick reaction to an emergency took place in Philadelphia when the truck arrived so late that there was no time for pre-game taped interviews. Host Matt Loughlin originally was slated to do a pre-game taped interview with center John Madden. Instead the interview had to be done live with no chance of editing.

As it happened, Loughlin was in the middle of the interview when a Catholic priest inadvertently - and innocently - walked on to the set and across the room before anyone could detour him. Dratch was suitably stupefied and knew there was nothing to do but apply his rich sense of humor to his cohorts.

Roland admits that the most thrilling seasons of his job took place when the Devils won Stanley Cups in 1995, 2000 and 2003.

"The most exciting had to be the first Cup when we beat the favored (Detroit) Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final in a four-game sweep. It especially meant a lot to me since it was my first season as a producer. The Devils were underdogs in each of the four series starting in Boston, then Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, finally, Detroit. Being able to work every game right to the final game in East Rutherford was about as special as it could get."

Over the years Roland has had to work with a spate of varying personalities such as the iconic Mike Emrick, former Devil, the late Peter McNab, and highly-regarded Steve Cangialosi. Dratch admits that he's been fortunate that his core sidekicks - Meberg and Gaines - have been with him for so long – over two decades - that each can read the other with consummate ease.

"Tommy Meberg," Dratch asserts, "is a great director because his work ethic is second to none. The same goes for Larry Gaines and the rest of the crew. Each one of them has a sense of pride in putting together a good show. In Tommy's case, he sets a good example for the others in that he never stops working.

"He's not only involved in cutting the game but so many other things like filling out reports and making sure we have the right personnel for every game both at home and away"

A key to any successful show is the pre-game production meeting that takes place in the arena at about four in the afternoon. All the talent (performers) show up along with the statistician and other helpers. Roland then hands out a top-to-bottom format and works directly with everyone involved.

"I always want everyone to put his and her mark on the show," Dratch explains. "I want people who are involved to come to work looking forward to what's ahead and making their mark on the program."

First on the agenda is the pre-game show which Larry and Leo have fiddled with since the morning post-practice interviews with both visiting and Devils players. Hostess Erika Wachter, Bryce Salvador, play-by-play man Bill Spaulding and Ken Daneyko all are directly involved.

Dratch: "What's special about what we do is that every single person puts his and her mark on it; every voice is heard. I go around the room and - in a perfect world everyone listens and gives feedback. It's a team effort all the way. I'm most proud of the teamwork. I can't have a great show without having a great crew and that's the one thing that makes it so special."

Over the decades there's been a number of "unsung heroes" among the Truck-ees. For sure one of them is Graphics operator Sarah Mann who has been sitting directly behind Dratch since the 1990's.

Among the most popular on camera duets comprised Mike (Doc) Emrick on play-by-play and Glenn (Chico) Resch his sidekick. Resch, who made his name as a Stanley Cup-winning goalie with the NY Islanders and later as one of the most popular Devils, never has forgotten Dratch.

"Roland was the equivalent of the captain on a hockey team," Chico told me. "He's the one who set the overall attitude and atmosphere. He's the guy in charge of the scene preparation before the game; the crew members, the on-air talent. And they're all focusing on how they can bring their best for the upcoming game.

"Meanwhile, Big Dog (Roland) has to step up and decide which ideas are possible that night. It takes a very sincere, open-to-suggestions type of personality to make things work and Roland always has had that. For 15 years my partner Mike Emrick sincerely respected, loved and appreciated the Big Dog. I call him 'The Al Arbour of Producers' since Al was the best coach I ever had."

Emrick enjoyed the decade-and-a-half under Dratch's baton so much that he often referred to it as "Our Camelot of doing tv hockey." Doc added that many components blended to make it a Camelot.

"One reason for it being Camelot was because we all cared about each other," Doc averred. "There were diverse personalities and the glue that bonded us - our MVP - was Roland."

Emrick joined the cast in the fall of 1994 when the 94-95 season was delayed for three months because of an NHL work stoppage. Instead, SportsChannel decided to substitute games of the Devils AHL Albany River Rats. Doc remembered Dratch's first words at his inaugural game as full producer: "Stan, how about a joke?"

The Maven told his gag, got a good response and it became a pre-production meeting staple as long as I worked with Roland who actually, is much funnier than me on the best day The Maven ever had.

Doc: "From rolling laughter we went into the nuts and bolts; and then went on for years with a spirit where everyone could contribute either with information helpful to the broadcast or with occasional zingers toward each other.

"Roland brought the whole notion of it being fun to come to work from 1995 to the time I worked my last Devils broadcast in 2011. Even now I have great memories and the reason they are there is the atmosphere created by Roland's leadership. We had many different performers come along and join us since the Albany days but the atmosphere continued because our one common leader remained in place - Big Dog!"

David Kolb - now editor of The Hockey News' Rangers, Islanders and Devils websites and host of a podcast "Mave and Dave," was a SportsChannel aide with an upfront view of Dratch.

"What Roland would say while producing the games," said Kolb, "would give comedians like Eddie Murphy and Dave Chappelle a run for their money. Dratch runs the game like no other in the industry. Having a headset on during one of his telecasts possibly trumps the entertainment value of the players on the ice. It's laughs galore.

"His super quick humor is what keeps that behind-the-scenes broadcast team so successful. It keeps everyone on their toes and truly has the whole production team enjoying every minute of their work throughout the season - independent of the Devils' ups and downs."

Ditto for Matt Loughlin who currently holds forth as the Devils longtime radio play-by-play honcho. "Roland allows all his announcers to have a value in the broadcast. I can come in with an idea and it's done."

There are pitfalls all over the place, including airline travel and storm delays among many others. Then they all fall under the "Fortunes of Hockey TV War." Dratch adjusts to it with a grin-and-bear-it philosophy.

"For road games we're up at eight in the morning, go to the rink, look at emails, take phone calls and we're off and running," Dratch asserted. "Hours and hours later the game ends, we wind up on a plane, get home at three in the morning and go to bed.

"And, do you know what? I wouldn't change it for the world because I love the excitement and everything is always different. Add to that the 'family' atmosphere of working with people I like which includes Tommy, Larry and Leo - we do things together away from the rink and hang out a lot - because we get along so well. The moral of the story is that you can't have a great show without a great crew."

When I asked Big Dog to pick his crew's unsung heroes, he cited associate director Larry Gaines and graphics producer Leo Scaglione, Jr.

Dratch: "They never stop working. The amount of preparation that each of them does is amazing. They talk to the announcers both the day before and the day of the game and they send and receive a ton of emails related to all parts of the production. They are like energizer bunnies; they never stop going. And when the game is over, they have to do it again for the next telecast. Those guys are the unsung heroes behind the scenes."

Scaglione, Jr. is relatively new to the crew although he's unofficially been attending production meetings for many years. He considers his gig a dream come true. As an onlooker, Leo paid his dues and Roland finally recognized Scaglione's potential and put him on full pay.

"What makes the shows so good," Leo declared, "is the passion and dedication of everyone on the crew from production personnel to the broadcasters. Each of us adds a personal touch which, collectively, makes a super show. For me, personally, 'telling stories' on the telecasts through graphics or ideas is something I can't believe is real nor do I take it for granted.

"I grew up as a Devils fan watching these shows - these games - and now I have a say in it which, to me, is incredible. And what makes it even better is that I'm alongside the same production crew - Roland, Tommy and Larry - who worked all those games all those decades ago.”

Roland’s ad libs are priceless and only heard by members of the crew. Typical as a between periods episode when the talent was being set up for an interview. Roland asked her to move to her left. And, of course, she moved to her right.

Dratch quickly snapped: “No, your other left!”

According to the crew, no less than six people on headset “were in tears and crying for minutes.”

Without the tireless research help from Leo Scaglione, Jr. this piece never could have been completed.