Drop the puck: The 11 Day Power Play is underway

The 11 Day Power Play is back in action.

Last year, two teams of 20 played on the ice of Harborcenter for 11 straight days. They broke a record for the world's longest hockey game and raised $1-million for Roswell Park in the process. 

“Last year was the coolest experience of my life,” said Justin Ehrig, one of the 40 original players.

It’s a tough act to follow. But, the same 40 hockey players are back, this time with back-ups. Fifteen hundred hockey players will play in shifts, day and night for 11 days.  

Since final horn sounded last summer, five people close to the 11 Day Power Play family, lost their battle with cancer.

“My mom was the reason I did this last year and she passed away from cancer shortly after.  And I heard they were doing it again and I was like I'm in. And I'm in for every other year in the future and I will do whatever I can until cancer is gone,” said Ehrig.

The fight to make cancer 'gone' is a costly one. At first goal of the game, the 11 Day Power Play raised $10,000 shy of one million. Organizers are expecting more. 

“I think we're going to break what we did last year, in terms of financial donations. So, I don't see how we can't continue it,” said Mike Lesakowski, the founder of 11 Day Power Play.