PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Although the Philadelphia Flyers' Hockey Fights Cancer night ended in a 1-0 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday, it still felt like a special evening in South Philadelphia for many reasons.
"It was emotional, to be honest," 24-year-old Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom said postgame.
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Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in December 2019. He overcame the disease and returned to the club for their final two postseason games.
Since then, Lindblom has passed other milestones — such as the first time Flyers fans got to see him play this season and recent scans for cancer that came back clear.
Sunday night was another one of those momentous occasions.
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Lindblom was the first on the ice during pregame warmups, wearing a No. 23 jersey — in purple, to show solidarity with others who are fighting cancer. His teammates gave him solo lap, something traditionally done for players making their NHL debuts, then joined him — each wearing purple No. 23 Lindblom jerseys just like him.
“I didn’t expect to react like that when I skated on the ice," Lindblom said.
Linblom said he tried to take it all in while focusing on the game.
"It’s been a tough year, or tough more-than-a-year," Lindblom said. "To be able to be out there with this team is amazing
During the first TV timeout, the Wells Fargo Center played Foo Fighters' “My Hero” over the loud speakers and focused the Jumbotron on Lindblom. Fans cheered, the Flyers and Islanders tapped their sticks, and Lindblom saluted the crowd, clearly emotional from the reception.
"I didn’t expect myself to react like that," Lindblom said. "I didn’t know there was supposed to be anything about me during the game, so it was emotional. I was just trying to hold it together and focus on the game, but ... amazing moment, and I will remember that for the rest of my life."
In addition to the Flyers organization making a donation to fight cancer, the team also honored a local hockey player who is battling the disease for the second time. Through Zoom, 17-year-old Tony Campisi read the starting lineup to the Flyers as they were sitting in their locker room.
Tony was the team’s Honorary Coach for the night.
This was the second time they honored Campisi. In 2015, they signed him to a one-day contract with the team through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.