Capitals' Alex Ovechkin to use goal record chase to fundraise for good cause

Ovechkin will personally donate a dollar amount equal to his career goal total (i.e. 885 if he scores Wednesday) to "THE GR8 CHASE for Victory Over Cancer." Fans are also encouraged to donate what they can at the initiative's website.

"There is so much attention on the chase, so I'm using that to help. We should all help and make cancer go away," Ovechkin said (h/t ESPN). "It doesn't matter where you live, cancer touches everyone. It's important for all of us to talk about finding a cure."

With 21 games remaining in the regular season, he's still on pace to break Gretzky's record before the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

If he comes up short this season, he still has all of next season to break it and extend the 31-year-old mark considerably. He could very well become the first player in NHL history to score 900 goals.

"Our team has been doing a good job my whole career to try and help kids battling cancer. I can see all the times we go to hospitals to visit the kids, or they come to see us at practice or after games, they always have smiles," Ovechkin continued. "If we have a chance to help them, we have to take it."

Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Capitals, will match every donation Ovechkin makes through the end of his career.