Lightning host Ethan

The Tampa Bay Lightning spent time with an old friend on Thursday.

The Lightning welcomed back Easton Beatch, an 11-year-old fan who is currently battling brain cancer, to their morning skate before their game against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Last December, the young fan watched the team’s morning skate in Calgary from the bench. This year, he got to lace up his own skates and join the team on the ice.

Easton participated in drills with the Lightning and then answered questions from reporters with head coach Jon Cooper, who carried him to the media scrum.

The young Lightning fan told reporters he played defense and that his favorite players were Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman.

Cooper joked that Easton would be taking Erik Cernak’s spot in the game.

Easton's cancer relapsed in July and he is currently undergoing chemotherapy. He has been able to play hockey and scored his first goal three weeks ago.

“I want to shout with joy from the stands or quietly cry because we are so proud of him,” Easton’s mother, Amanda, told Lightning reporter Gabby Shirley. “I want to scream like, ‘He’s going through chemo and he is achieving. He can skate and he can shoot… he scored a goal from the point and that is just mind blowing to us.”

The young cancer patient’s perseverance has also inspired Lightning players.

“It gives you shivers down your body a little bit thinking about it,” Lightning forward Brandon Hagel said in a video posted by the team. “Those kids are fighting for their life and all they want to do is get out there and play the game they love…We are right there with him and supporting him and going to try everything we can to put that smile on his face and help him get through that.”

After the game, Easton gave Andrei Vasilevskiy the game puck in the Lightning locker room.

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