Cancer survivor attends Rangers practice prior to Winter Classic

NEW YORK --Lucas Pennachi and his family knew they were in for a treat when the 16-year-old was granted his wish by Make-a-Wish of Eastern North Carolina to attend the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field on Monday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, TVA Sports).
During what's already been the happiest of holidays for Lucas, mother Miranda, father Matt and 9-year-old brother Victor -- Lucas was successfully treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma after he was diagnosed in July 2016 -- life continued to get better on a cold yet heartwarming afternoon in Queens.

RELATED: [Winter Classic making dreams come true for Rangers, Sabres | Lundqvist's mask for Winter Classic pays homage to New York landmarks]
Already invited to watch the Rangers practice Sunday, Lucas and his family had no idea they were going to receive an up-close-and-personal view of the skaters from behind the boards.
"Are we watching practice from here?" Miranda asked.
"Would they?" Matt inquired with wonder.
Yes, they did, and it was the first surprise in what would be the ultimate thrill for a cancer survivor, his parents and brother in town from Durham, North Carolina. When Brendan Smith and Michael Grabner were the first Rangers to appear on the ice for practice, Matt's jaw dropped and he let out a 'Wow.'

"It's interesting," Lucas said. "You don't often see it in person."
The surprises didn't end there; Lucas and family were led to the opposite side of the rink near a collection of authentic New York City taxi cabs and a makeshift setup of Big Apple streets, subway stops and highway signs. About 10 minutes later, with practice winding down, Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist skated over to say hello. He signed Lucas' Sabres jersey, a gift from the NHL, and Victor's Rangers jersey.
"It was pretty awesome, and he even signed the opposing team's jersey," Lucas said. "I'm pretty happy even though I'm still cold."
Matt, who grew up a diehard fan of the Philadelphia Flyers and now has a dual allegiance with his hometown Carolina Hurricanes, was more than eager to engage in conversation with Lundqvist four days after watching the Rangers defeat the Washington Capitals 1-0 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
"All these pro players are incredibly nice," Matt said. "Hockey players tend to be incredibly gracious. Meeting someone of Hank's stature is pretty rad."
Rad. Fun. Fulfilling. Chicken soup for the soul that never gets stale. As good as it gets for all involved.

"You know, it's cool," Lundqvist said. "It's not only for the kid who's sick, it's for the whole family. They all go through it. They all looked excited to be here and be here [Monday] when you talked to them. A lot of times we don't have to do much to change someone's life or give them some energy. Today, a bunch of guys went up to talk to them and said hello. Hopefully that goes a long way for them and give them some energy. It's good to have them here."
For Lucas, who's mildly autistic, it's a second lease on life after defeating the cancer that interrupted his involvement with cross-country when he had trouble breathing while running and a swollen lymph node in his neck, all before he began 10th grade. The radiation and chemotherapy were arduous and caused him to lose weight, hair and energy, but never his inner strength.
The results of a scan Lucas had in July were clean and he's scheduled for another one in January, also expected to be all-clear.
"It may take several years or the rest of his life to comprehend how much he's accomplished and overcome," Matt said. "I do think that him being able to overcome this illness has given him a level of strength and showed him he has abilities that he never quite realized that he had.
"It's absolutely wonderful. We're completely grateful for everything and grateful for everyone who helped us achieve the outcome."
And for the Pennachis, the Winter Classic will be a bow on Lucas' first trip to New York, one that saw them visit Times Square, the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center and the Museum of Natural History.
"To come out to the Winter Classic, it was the No. 1 thing that we can think of," Miranda said. "To come here and be in New York City, to be here New Year's Eve, and the whole experience with the teams, this is absolutely our No. 1 choice to come out and do this. We're very, very lucky to be here."