Phil Esposito Says He’s ‘All Tampa Bay’ for Bruins-Lightning Eastern Conference Final

The thought of Phil Esposito's time in Boston conjures plenty of pleasant memories for Bruins fans. He was a Bruin when the B's last hoisted the Stanley Cup, and the ceremony in which his No. 7 was retired in the Boston Garden rafters, as Ray Bourque revealed No. 77 is an iconic Boston sports moment.

History aside, though, when the puck is finally dropped on Saturday night and the Bruins and Lightning get the Eastern Conference final under way, there's no questioning which team Espo will be pulling for.

"Make no mistake about, I am all Tampa Bay," Esposito told Paul Kennedy of FOX Sports Florida.

Esposito, of course, helped found the Tampa Bay Lightning back in the early 1990s, and he still serves as the team's radio commentator.

"Both teams got great goaltending," the Hall of Famer observed. "Tim Thomas could win the Vezina, and [Dwayne] Roloson has been awesome."