BUFFALO, N.Y. — The ice at Harborcenter is empty right now. But soon, it will be occupied for a game.

The longest hockey game ever recorded — the 11 Day Power Play.

The goal is to break the Guinness World record by playing for more than 250 consecutive hours over 11 days, but the true inspiration holds far more importance. The players hope to raise $1 million for Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

THE INSPIRATION

The game is the brainchild of Mike Lesakowski -- sparked by his own family's battle against cancer. The idea first came when Mike's wife Amy was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2009.

"I was 35 at the time and I had three small children. They were five, six and 11 (years old)," Amy said Monday afternoon at Harborcenter. "It was hard to look at them when I was diagnosed. I would get upset and think what if I'm not here for those important things in their life."

Mike, who's been involved in hockey as player or coach for most of his life, looked into doing something to help the battle against cancer, driven by his wife's bout with the disease.

"It's terrible. You see someone full of life and it gets taken away from them," Mike said. "They fight like crazy and it's great when they get through it. Sometimes it's not a happy ending."

After treatment at Roswell, Amy is currently free of cancer. But in May 2016, the Lesakowski's were dealt another blow, when Mike's mother Evelyn died from brain and lung cancer at the age of 62.

He had had enough. Mike knew he had to make a difference. So he renewed his idea from years earlier about fundraiser based around hockey.

"It wasn't until two days after her services that he said, 'Do you remember that world's longest hockey game?' And I said, 'Yeah?' He said, 'Well, it's going to happen," Amy recalled.

And so the 11-Day Power Play was born. Mike secured the Harborcenter as a venue, help from the Sabres and sponsorships and donations from many places. He had a dedicated group of friends ready to help, but he needed more players to join him. No problem. Mike and Amy took about 100 applications, and whittled it down to a group of 40 willing to take on the grueling game.

"Unfortunately we had to decide who's going to play and who wasn't," Mike said. "We picked a great group. I'm sure there's great people out there that could've been a part of it. It was easier than you think for people to step up and say they wanted to help."

All with their own stories and reasons for joining the fight against cancer.

Pete Merlo has played hockey with Mike for about 8 or 9 years. But at one point, he didn't think that would be possible. Merlo is himself a cancer survivor.

"In 2006, I was diagnosed with a golf ball-sized brain tumor."

Doctors initially gave Merlo one month to live. But he had surgery at Roswell Park to remove part of the mass, and through continued treatment he's still alive.

"I was told I would never play hockey or basketball again," he said. "But after my recovery, I want to thank the Lord too for his help and his assistance getting me through this.  But all the sudden they approached me and said you may be able to play hockey again."

And here he is, 11 years later, about to play in the longest hockey game ever.  

Andrew Case is another player on the team. He too has lived through it, while losing two fathers to the disease.

"My first dad, Ray Case, died in 1967 when I was real young.  I've been blessed with having two wonderful men in my life.  My second dad, Herb Peace, died two years ago in 2015."

Andrew was quick to join the ranks.

"This is the least I can do. With 39 other guys, try to change the future and make cancer a disease people live with instead of die with."

While a few former professional players like ex-Sabres captain Michael Peca and Geoff Peters are involved, most of the players are just regular guys, motivated to do something special.

THE GRIND

For months now, the players have been hard at work training several days a week on and off the ice to prepare their bodies for the marathon that awaits them. They've participated in a rigorous workout program through IMPACT Sports Performance at Harborcenter. 

"It's helping us physically get used to the strains and the stresses that we're going to experience," Merlo said.

Many have also exercised and skated on their own to get ready. They're in peak shape. One player, Jeff Haynes, has lost 50 pounds since he began training.

Some are nervous about blisters and rashes, ailments they really can't predict.

But the most important part could be preparing their minds.

"To say that we're doing the world's longest hockey game is one thing, but to endure something when it's day five or six in the middle of the night and you're playing and there's nobody around, that's the time it could be easy to quit.  My guys aren't going to quit.  My teammates aren't going to quit."

THE GAME

Once the game begins Thursday night, the players can't leave the building until the record is broken.  

Over 11 days, two teams of 20 men will play for four hour shifts, with five skaters and one goalie on the ice at a time for each team. When the shift ends, they'll have 8 hours of rest. But again, they can't go home.

The rest will come in the Harborcenter locker rooms, which will be transformed into makeshift dorm rooms. It's a daunting task, but one they say they're ready to tackle.

"I think inspiration gets you through it," Case said. "I'll think about my dads. I think about my friends' parents.  And I think that will be the fuel that will keep me going."

"That's what we're fighting for," Merlo said. "We're fighting for the next level of technology and experience. Immunotherapy. Where are we going to take this next. How are we going to conquer this disease?"

And for Lesakowski, who's devoted countless hours to organizing the event with his wife Amy, playing in the game will be easy, he says, compared to the struggles faced by those with cancer.

"When Hour 251 comes we're going to look around and hug each other and celebrate," he said. "There's a lot of  people that would trade in a heartbeat getting out of the hospital bed and playing hockey for 11 days in a heartbeat, and we know that. It doesn't get lost on us."

THE GOAL

The 11 Day Power Play is well on its way to raising $1 million for Roswell Park. To date, they've received nearly $800,000 and fully expect to surpass their goal. One player, Mike Lawley, has fundraised $158,396 on his own.

Those wishing to donate can go to http://www.11daypowerplay.com/ The public is welcomed and encouraged to check out the game and cheer on the players. Opening faceoff is Thursday at 9 p.m.

Emmett Jakubowski, a boy from Buffalo who's fought through two different types of Leukemia, is serving as ambassador for the game. Case and Merlo will take part in the opening faceoff ceremony with Jakubowski. Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret will call the beginning of the game, while many other former players and local celebrities are expected to appear throughout the 11 days.