PENGUINS THANKFUL FOR HOMETOWN HERO

Hockey players are considered heroes to their adoring fans for their on-ice prowess, for the speed and skill which they exhibit game in and game out.

But there are other heroes that don’t get nearly the kind of recognition they deserve.

Corporal James Rosencrans is one of those.

A Wilkes-Barre native, Cpl. Rosencrans is a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard from the 109th Infantry Regiment in West Pittston - a small, quiet, tree-lined community along the Susquehanna River.

But nearly six months ago, Rosencrans’ world was turned upside down.

Rosencrans was riding in a convoy in Afghanistan on May 20, when his vehicle was ripped apart by a roadside bomb.  Killed in the accident was Pittston native Lt. Jeffrey DePrimo. Several others sustained severe injuries.

Cpl. Rosencrans was one of those, suffering second and third degree burns over nearly one third of his body. But even while those wounds were being inflicted, Rosencrans continued to try to aid the fallen soldiers.

Now back in the United States, Rosencrans has been recuperating at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for several months, and hopes to return to Northeast Pennsylvania in the near future.

In the meantime, he got a little taste of home when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins made their first trip to Texas in five years last month.

Cpl. Rosencrans and his wife, Molly, were special guests of the team at its Halloween contest against the San Antonio Rampage.  The Penguins supporters took in the team’s morning skate at the AT&T Center, where Rosencrans recounted his tale to the squad.

“It’s really valuable for a team to hear something like that to put it in perspective, know that you’re playing a game, but also knowing what people are doing,” said goaltender John Curry.  “The sacrifice some of our fans are making overseas…it was touching.”

“It’s a tough story to hear, but it’s also one I think is important; a guy who sacrifices, a guy who’s part of a unit, a guy in his situation sustaining the injuries, sustaining them the way he did, him trying to help out and go back in even though he was on fire,” said head coach Dan Bylsma.  “I think it was good for our guys to see him, hear his story, hear about someone else’s experience.  And I think it was a good experience for him to see our interest in him, see there are people that appreciate what they do and how they do it.”

“Hockey is just a fun game, and you realize the importance of what other people are doing for your country,” said Penguins captain Dave Gove.   “It was very emotional conversation.  It’s something that touched our team pretty deep, to realize what goes on in the world.  Hockey’s just a game, and as frustrating as it can be, there’s a lot more important things out there.”