This goal meant something extra to Devils’ cancer survivor

If it was Hockey Fights Cancer night every night, Brian Boyle would be a shoo-in for the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross.

Boyle, the former Rangers stalwart who announced that his leukemia was in remission earlier this season, scored for the Devils in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders on Friday night at Prudential Center.

This was the home game for the Devils this season when they wore lavender jerseys in warmups, along with putting lavender tape on their sticks, eventually to be auctioned off to benefit cancer charities. It was also Boyle’s first game back after missing five straight games with upper-body injury.

Earlier this month, Boyle had his first career hat trick on a Hockey Fights Cancer night in Pittsburgh, pretty emotional days for him and his family. Boyle’s wife, Lauren, recently became the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer ambassador, sharing her experience with Brian’s 14-month ordeal that forced him to miss a portion of this past season.

“It’s funny how it works,” said Boyle, whose goal came on a deft redirection from in front at 2:43 of the third period to tie the score, 2-2. “That’s how I want to get my goals. I’ll take them every night, they don’t have to just be on these nights. But it was nice to get that one.”

Boyle, 33, established himself in the league when he played for the Rangers from 2009 through 2014, when they lost in the Stanley Cup final. He then played with the Lightning for two-plus years before getting traded to the Maple Leafs in 2016-17.

Then as a free agent in the summer of 2017, he signed a two-year, $5.1 million deal with the Devils. During his first training camp in New Jersey, he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. After treatments, he was eventually able to return to the team in November. He was also named as a late replacement to the All-Star team that year in Tampa, where he was a star.

This Oct. 24, he announced the cancer was in remission, and he now has seven goals in his first 15 games.

Before the game, a young cancer survivor from Englewood, N.J., named Bennett Burgida came out with Devils coach John Hynes for his pregame press briefing. Burgida had just been in the locker room, getting a signed stick from captain Andy Greene and reading the starting lineup to the players.

“The guys are excited,” Hynes said, “and I know he’s excited.”

Burgida then got to drop the ceremonial first puck, when it wasn’t Greene who came out for the Devils, but Burgida’s favorite player — Boyle. He was joined by Islanders captain Anders Lee, who had his own “Kancer Jam” benefit this previous Sunday after a game in Brooklyn.

This is the 20th year the NHL has been operating a Hockey Fights Cancer, and it has raised over $20 million. To commemorate that, all 20 skaters were out on the blue line for the national anthem. Then Boyle went out and had himself another good night, even if the result wasn’t exactly wanted.

“It’s nice to contribute,” Boyle said, “but I wish we won because this is obviously a special night for me.”