Remembering Tony Esposito

Perhaps the best way to remember Tony Esposito, a superb goaltender, who died last week at age 78 and also unlike in other obituaries from far more read sources, cite his big bad play in a “slightly important,” game 7 of the ’71 final, is to imagine Tony’s “heaven meeting” with Bill Buckner.

Before that, again Tony was a superb goaltender, I recall best, being brilliant, “radio only” at New York, vs the Rangers in #’s 3 and 4 of Tony’s Chicago Blackhawks’ team “semi” in ’73.

Buckner greets Tony and cites the amount of “ink” on his error in #6/’86 W.S. juxtaposed with seemingly, no mention of Tony not only losing despite a (2-0) lead in #7/’71 final vs Montreal (Canadiens), but allowing a long goal from center ice or so, from the great Jacques Lemaire, that cut the Habs’ deficit to (2-1).

Tony laughs and it is on to other things.

Tony Esposito, a marvelous goaltender, pictured and by all known standards, headed above.