GWEN IFILL:

The National Hockey League playoffs begin this week, and for years now, the NHL's teams and players have made time during their long season to broaden the game's appeal, working with youth teams in neighborhoods not normally known as hockey hotbeds.

We recently caught up with the Fort Dupont Cannons, the oldest team in the NHL's Hockey is for Everyone urban outreach program, who are getting an assist from stars of the Washington Capitals.

NEAL HENDERSON, Founder & Head Coach, Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program: The ice rink was the only one in Washington at the time, so with the kids in the neighborhood, I came over to the rink, and from then on, it's been known as the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program.

My name is Neal Henderson. I'm the founder and owner. I'm the head coach there. We have been in operation since 1977. And our rink is right on a fort that was there during the Civil War.

The southeast side of the capital wasn't ever touched, because the slaves guarded that section and they fought anyone who came on that side. The black represents the slave. The gold represents the brass buttons on the uniform. And the white represents their officers. So, this is why we wear these colors.