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Owen Provencher, 6, prepares to face the media after a hard practice with the Detroit Red Wings.

(MLive/Ansar Khan)

DETROIT - Owen Provencher traveled from Sacramento, Calif., to skate with the Detroit Red Wings Thursday, taking part in some three-on-three drills, shooting the puck around with players, watching practice from the bench and doing a media interview in the dressing room.

He shoots right, so coach Mike Babcock wondered if he could play the point on the power play.

Maybe in the future.

On this day the 6-year-old was just thrilled to have his dream come true thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Owen has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs. His daily routine consists of breathing treatments and numerous medications.

"He takes over 25 pills a day," his mother, Heidi Provencher, said.

"It's a progressive disease. He's had several hard curveballs thrown at him. The fact that he is doing so well, we're very, very thankful."

Provencher baby-sat Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard back in the day in Ogdensburg, N.Y. Her mother, Nancy Rudiger, was Howard's sixth grade teacher.

"He was a great kid, very sweet and humble," Provencher said of Howard.

"I've known Owen for quite some time; I've known his family pretty much all my life," Howard said. "Owen's a great kid. For us to be able to make a wish come true for him, it's really special."

Owen was 18 months old when his parents took him to his first NHL game in San Jose, against the Red Wings.

"We sat him on our lap, he was into it, he watched the whole game, didn't take his eyes off the puck up and down," Provencher said. "And afterwards going down to meet Jimmy was a like out of this world for him."

That's when he decided he wanted to play hockey. Provencher said it's "meant the world" for her son to be able to come to Joe Louis Arena. They will attend Friday's game against the Los Angeles Kings.

"I'm so grateful to the Red Wings organization -- the players, the coaches, everybody's made him feel so welcome, been so friendly," Provencher said.

Provencher discovered she was a carrier of cystic fibrosis when he was pregnant.

"We have no family history of cystic fibrosis," she said. "The genetic counselor told me, 'I wouldn't worry about it. You have like a 1 in 3,000 chance of your husband being a carrier.'

"When they tested my husband (Gary) he came back positive. We were a little blown away, so we decided not to test Owen any further. We just waited until he was born and tested him at birth and at two weeks old we found out he had CF."

The treatment is quite extensive.

"He started digestive enzymes at two weeks old as well as chest physiotherapy, which we beat on his chest with a little thumper," Provencher said. "And at six weeks old he was one of the first five kids in the country to get a wrap, which is like a mechanical breathing device. We used to read to him during that and he would watch his singing animals. Because of it he's always been comfortable with his therapy."

The therapy includes taking a salt water solution to loosen up the mucus in the lungs and pulmozine, which Provencher said, "acts like scissors because what happens in your lungs is that the mucus gets very thick in your body so it's very hard to remove."

They push Owen and he pushes himself hard.

"When he took a break from hockey for a little while we noticed it slowed him down and he had a hard time with a lot of things," Provencher said. "I think the hockey just helps keep everything moving for him."

Babcock said having Owen on the ice was energizing for the team.

"He was out there with Jimmy B (goaltending coach Bedard) and the goalies first," Babcock said. "Then he was on with the guys for a little scrimmage, so I assume it was enjoyable for him. The more of that stuff we can do the more we will.

"When you're blessed and get to play a game like we do, you get to give back."

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