Scoring for good cause
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
By Lindsay Kramer
Staff writer The soothing goodwill of charity ends where the ice begins. Robert Esche loves helping children. He hates giving up goals, even ones that don't matter.
From Nov. 11-13, Esche, the Philadelphia Flyers goalie, will take one for the team. Or 10. Or maybe even 20 or 30.
Esche, a Whitesboro native, is putting together three 4-on-4 games featuring several NHL players to benefit his Save of the Day Foundation. That's a wonderful comfort for the ill children who will get a reason to smile. It's also a discomforting prospect for competitive goalies who stand to give up double-figures goals totals in games heavily tilted toward the offense.
"I'm bringing hockey back to my hometown and embarrassing myself at the same time," Esche said. "I will not be happy with giving up 12 goals in a hockey game."
Esche has only himself to blame. He's brought together one of the most impressive arrays of NHL talent to ever skate - even for fun - through Central New York.
Among the 30 or so players committed to showing up are forwards Jamie Langenbrunner and John Madden and defenseman Colin White of the New Jersey Devils; forwards Keith Primeau, Tony Amonte and John LeClair of the Flyers; forward Mark Recchi of the Penguins; forward Wayne Primeau of San Jose; forward Erik Cole of Carolina; forward Craig Conroy of Los Angeles; forward Joe Nieuwendyk of Toronto; forward Adam Mair of Buffalo; defenseman Tom Poti of the Rangers; and defenseman Eric Weinrich of St. Louis.
The rules are simple. Whatever's good for scoring and entertainment value is in. Icing and the red line are out. There are no penalties. Penalty shots are awarded for infractions.
"It's fun for the forwards," Recchi said. "It will be wide open, a lot of skating. All those things (exhibitions) turn competitive eventually. I think people will really see the pace of the NHL level."
Flyers forward Jeremy Roenick is expected to appear at the events but not play. Esche said players will be made available for autographs at all three games. The Nov. 11 contest will be at the Utica Auditorium, while games the next two nights will be at the Clinton Arena.
The proceeds will benefit Esche's foundation, which he started two years ago to help children in the Mohawk Valley area who have life-threatening illnesses. The charity helps cover their medical costs and grants them wishes, such as computers, trips to Walt Disney World or meetings with athletes.
"I truly believe all kids are completely innocent," Esche said. "They don't have a chance to live. They don't have a chance to see the things adults get to see."
With the players' free time caused by the NHL lockout, Esche said he had no trouble rounding up enough talent to fill two rosters. Even those from the despised Devils, Philadelphia's biggest rival, were agreeable.
"We have a 780-man team right now," Esche said of the entire players union. "Everyone has been extremely helpful."
Maybe not so much that Esche would actually want to share a bench with anyone from New Jersey, though.
"For sure, it will be all Devils versus all Flyers," Esche joked about his exhibition lineup. "You have to play with the guys you know. I can assure you us playing together at a charity event, it (the intensity) is going to be a little different, but not a lot different. I don't want people thinking we're not doing this to win."
© 2004 The Post-Standard
