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Pens gain perspective from West Point visit

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The 2013-14 regular season is rapidly approaching for the Pittsburgh Penguins, which means players are pondering all the pressure they’re under. Maybe it’s timely, then, that the team visited West Point this past week, according to NHL.com.

“They leave here and they get deployed,” Penguins GM Ray Shero said. “With them, it’s ‘Where is your teammate?’ ‘Oh, he’s in Afghanistan.’ ‘Oh, he’s in Iraq.’

“It’s not about our team, it’s about us as individuals and getting the perspective on life. To understand what is going on in the world and the sacrifices being talked about, I think it’s important when you talk about our Armed Forces to get that realization of what it’s about.”

Army head coach Brian Riley pointed out the beauty of the situation.

“I want professional hockey players to come to West Point and leave here with a much greater respect for the service men and women,” Riley said. “For our players, these are their idols, but by the time the Penguins leave here they make our players feel like they’re their idols.”

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins