Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Ovechkin are two of the greatest hockey players to ever lace up skates, but just how good are they with a video game controller in their hands?
We're about to find out.
The two legends announced in a joint press release on Thursday that they'll be facing off virtually in EA Sports' "NHL 20" to raise funds for two charities: the Edmonton Food Bank and MSE Foundation’s “Feeding the Frontlines” fund based in Washington, D.C.
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Dubbed "The Great One vs. The Great Eight Showcase," the matchup will pit the pair in a best-of-three series on Xbox with the games livestreamed on the Capitals' Twitch channel starting at 8 p.m. ET on April 22.
The idea came when Gretzky saw a video of the Russian winger playing the game with his son, Sergei, on his Instagram story . He got in touch with a member of the Capitals' communications team looking to arrange a friendly competition, with the goal of raising money for charity while the NHL season remains on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two Greats. One Legendary Night.
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 16, 2020
The Great One and The Great Eight go head-to-head in #NHL20 on April 22.
Full Details: https://t.co/TLFBt22eXL pic.twitter.com/G7Dnk8m5jE
Little is known about the gaming experience of either player, however, Ovechkin is reportedly more of a "Call of Duty" and "Fortnite" fan. Gretzky has played "NHL 20" before but only a handful of times.
Luckily for them, they'll have teammates there to help them out. Ovechkin will be partnering up with John "JohnWayne" Casagranda, a member of the Capitals esports team and the runner-up at the 2019 NHL Gaming World Championship, while Gretzky will team up with his 19-year-old son, Tristan.
“Obviously we’re a little better when we have our skates on and a hockey stick in our hands than we are when we have controllers, but it’s not about that," Gretzky said in a phone call with reporters. “It’s more about the ability to help people that are less fortunate and for fans to enjoy a night of us not looking very talented at what we’re doing. It’ll be a fun night for a good cause."
