WATCH: NHL Player Retiring Due to MS Diagnosis Scores Touching Goal in Final Game

Philadelphia sports fans are tough to win over. (They once famously booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game.) But even they were moved to cheer for an opposing player after he scored a key goal against their Flyers on Sunday night.

That’s because the opposing player was Brian Bickell of the Carolina Hurricanes — who, on Friday, announced his retirement from the NHL after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last November.

Bickell sat out of action for months but he suited up for two final games this weekend. And on Sunday, in his last ever game, he was tapped to participate in the decisive shootout.

The retiring Bickell beat Flyers goalie Anthony Stolarz with a perfect wrist shot, which caught the post and bounced in. The tally helped give Carolina a 4-3 win, as they outscored Philadelphia 2-1 in the shootout.

Flyers fans cheered Bickell, and Flyers players even slapped gloves with him on his way back to the Carolina bench in what was a truly touching moment. He was then mobbed by his teammates.

“It was special,” Bickell said, according to NHL.com. “First time I lifted the [Stanley] Cup was in Philly. To end it here was nice.”

Watch above, via Comcast Sports Philadelphia, Fox Sports Carolinas, and ESPN.

[featured image via screengrab]

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Follow Joe DePaolo (@joe_depaolo) on Twitter

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