Devils Honor 11-Year Old Survivor on Hockey Fights Cancer Night

NEWARK, NJ – Bennett Burgida was nothing but smiles on Friday as he served as the New Jersey Devils honorary assistant coach on Hockey Fights Cancer Night, a league-wide initiative in its 20th season that raises money and awareness for a disease that touches millions of Americans every year.

The 11-year-old Lymphoma survivor from Englewood, New Jersey started his day with the team by having lunch for Devils alumni and fan favorites Ken Daneyko and Chico Resch. Afterwards Bennett, a defenseman for his travel hockey team met his favorite player, Devils captain Andy Greene and met up with the other players in the locker room.

“I’m very excited,” Bennett told reporters during the team’s press conference alongside Devils head coach John Hynes. “I just told them to play hard.”

Bennett added that he shared a special moment before the game with Devils center and cancer survivor Brian Boyle, who announced last month that his leukemia is in remission nearly 13 months after diagnosis. Before the game, Bennett participated in a ceremonial puck drop in front of a cheering crowd with Boyle and New York Islanders left winger Anders Lee.

As he did last year and earlier this year on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Hockey Fights Cancer Night, Boyle scored a goal on the ceremonious evening, redirecting a Blake Coleman shot from the point to tie the game 2-2 less than three minutes into the third period.

“It’s funny how it works – that’s how I want to get my goals” explained Boyle, who was awarded the 2018 Bill Masterton Trophy for his perseverance last season. “I’ll take them every night, they don’t have to just be on these nights, but it was nice to get that one.”

The Devils, however, would go on to lose the game 4-3 in overtime, but the evening was still special.

Devils’ wives and girlfriends showed their support by selling signed mystery pucks, Hockey Fights Cancer t-shirts and customized gift baskets representing each player. Gift baskets, signed lavender warm-up jerseys and signed sticks wrapped in lavender tape will be auctioned off at www.newjerseydevils.com/auction through Dec. 3.

All proceeds from the auction and 50/50 raffle will benefit the Valarie Fund Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Boston Children’s Hospital.