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Devils forward Brian Boyle scored his first goal of the season Thursday night in New Jersey, and it was one the 32-year-old won't soon forget. 

Not only was it Boyle's first tally of the season and his first in a Devils uniform, it was also his first goal since being diagnosed with cancer in September. Boyle learned this preseason that he had chronic myeloid leukemia, a slow-developing form of leukemia that was diagnosed early. 

Boyle said he was feeling relatively unaffected by the disease upon diagnosis and that it would be treatable with medication, but he wasn't able to make his Devils debut until nearly a month into the season. 

Back on the ice and looking to bring a veteran presence to a surprisingly successful New Jersey team, Boyle got on the board when he found the back of the net in his fifth game back Thursday night. 

It was pretty clear that Boyle was thrilled to get on the scoresheet just by the pure emotion that flowed out of him during the celebration immediately afterward. You could tell he was very much looking forward to getting the first one out of the way.

During an interview after the opening period, Boyle said it was the first time he has ever cried after scoring a goal.

It's always awesome to see guys overcome personal obstacles and be able to celebrate that through athletic achievement, so congratulations to Boyle on a moment that he'll remember for a long, long time.