The New Jersey Devils honored a young cancer survivor Friday as part of the National Hockey League’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer initiative.

Lifelong Devils fan, Bennett Burgida, 11, of Englewood served as an honorary assistant coach and dropped the ceremonial first puck at the beginning of the game against the New York Islanders. The Devils lost 4-3 in overtime.

Burgida also had lunch with Devils’ alumni Chico Resch and Ken Daneyko before the game.

The Devils posted pictures of Burgida and a message of encouragement to him on the team’s Twitter page Friday: “Bennett, you’re doing an awesome job as our honorary assistant coach of the day!”