Washington Capitals continue to fight cancer

It’s November which means it’s Hockey Fights Cancer month.

The Washington Capitals are in the fight against cancer and even though there is no hockey to be played this month that doesn’t stop hockey from fighting cancer. Hockey Fights Cancer was founded in December of 1998 by the NHL and the NHLPA to raise money and awareness for hockey’s most important fight.

Hockey Fights Cancer programs across the NHL have donated more than $16 million to support cancer programs of national and local cancer research institutions, children’s hospitals, player charities and local charities.

The Caps sponsors are Make a Wish Mid-Atlantic, Flashes of Hope, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Last season, the Washington Capitals as well as the Monumental Sports and Entertainment Foundation raised $114,675 for four cancer related charities. The funds raised were split between the four sponsors.

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Last season the Caps hosted the Vancouver Cancuks for their Hockey Fights Cancer game. They had a cool pregame ceremony where fans turned the flashlights on their phones to light up the arena. After that the starting lineup was announced featuring six children from Make A Wish Mid-Atlantic.

The players also skated in special Hockey Fights Cancer sweaters like the one Alex Ovechkin is wearing above. Nicklas Backstrom wore lavender colored skate blades to honor his mom, who is a breast cancer survivor. One touching moment that happened was when T.J. Oshie granted the wish of Brock, who was a cancer patient through Make A Wish.

A day prior to the game the team hosted the families for a skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Oshie became best friends with Brock who was an 18 year old hockey player from Reading, Pennsylvania. He had successfully completed his full medical treatment for a brain tumor.

During practice, Brock got to skate on the ice with Oshie and the rest of his Capitals teammates. Oshie let him use his stick and he took some shots on goal. On Saturday, he arrived to the game in style in a limo and got to watch and cheer on Oshie and the Caps. Brock admires Oshe’s flashy skill and hard game and has used the game of hockey as an escape from his fight.

Oshie’s kind gesture shows that the Caps aren’t just guys to be proud of on the ice but their efforts off the ice and in the D.C. community as well.

You can learn more about Hockey Fights Cancer at their official website.