Ben Holden, the Flint City Bucks acclaimed play-by-play announcer, has been hired to provide English-language commentary on Kontinental Hockey League games for the free-streaming app Portable.TV and ESPN + this season.

Holden, a 27-year broadcast professional, has called Bucks games this season for Mid-Michigan’s CW46 and on the Bucks’ HD YouTube channel. The South Lyon resident has previously served as show host, anchor, reporter, voice-over talent and narrator in addition to being a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports, ESPN, Big Ten Network, Comcast and Lansing’s WILX TV.

Holden, who is a graduate of Southfield-based Specs Howard School of Media Arts, is well-versed in calling hockey, having worked for the American Hockey League’s Lake Erie Monsters for two years as well as doing CBS Sports’ college hockey national telecasts for 13 years. He’s also done hockey-related work during the NCAA Tournament for ESPN as well as for Comcast and BTN.

The transition between describing hockey and soccer isn’t difficult, said Holden, whose new job will require him to relocate in Washington D.C.

“Calling (Soccer is) kind of like baseball in a way where you can let the game breathe, because it doesn’t warrant wall-to-wall play-by-play as a sport such as hockey because its constant speed and smaller playing surface,” said Holden, who cites CBC’s “Hockey Night in Canada” Bob Cole as one of his hockey announcing idols. “That’s a difference for me. I like that.”

“The big plays, like the one on First Responders Night with the young kid from Afghanistan (Ali Qurbanali) — the ball he played to the far side of the box (to Yuri Farkas for the Bucks’ second goal in the 4-0 win over Rebels FC) — I get excited for that. I know how hard it is for athletes to pull that off.”

The KHL is considered the second top professional hockey league in the world only behind the National Hockey League.  A majority (19) of the 24-team circuit is based in Russia with clubs in China, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Belarus. 

Former Detroit Red Wing standout Sergei Fedorov is head coach of CSKA Moscow while a number of former NHL and U.S. collegiate players dot KHL rosters. Portable.TV and ESPN+ will be carrying KHL games this season.  

Holden will work out of a studio in Washington D.C. where he will call the action from a transmitted feed. Portable.TV and ESPN+ will be carrying all KHL games this season.  

Holden continued, “I’m very excited to work with ESPN, Portable and the KHL and would like to thank Dan, Costa, Gary and Andy for the Bucks USL2 opportunity this summer and fall.  I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”